LONG BRANCH - When Patricia Dill’s lease for a business space in New Hope fell through, it felt like fate. “I was devastated. I couldn’t figure out why it fell through,” Dill said, “but my husband suggested looking at the open spaces in Pier Village and as soon as we drove in, I said, ‘This is why the lease fell through. This is where we’re supposed to be.'”

Dill, a lifelong New Jersey native now living in East Windsor, had never been to Long Branch before beginning her search for a new space for Doggie Sweets, the dog café and boutique that she owns.

“I absolutely fell in love with the community,” Dill said.

Dill’s 18-year-old pet sitting company began to suffer during the COVID-19 pandemic and as she waited for conditions to improve she came up with a new business plan.

“My business was crushed by the pandemic,” Dill explained, “so I collected unemployment for six months and began coming up with the idea for Doggie Sweets.”

The business started as an online store and food truck (aptly named the Doggie Sweets “Waggin’”) in August 2020, only expanding to include the pet café this past May.

“Starting out during the pandemic was definitely stressful with the amount of unknown,” said Dill, “but now I’ve retired from pet sitting as of a few months ago and this journey seems to be working out for the best.”

Is weed toxic for your pets? New study says marijuana edibles can be dangerous

Long Branch's West End: Will 'bohemian' neighborhood survive as hangouts close?

Dill recounted surprisingly smooth sailing when opening the storefront, which she credits to the help she had.

“We actually had no challenges, I have to say it was a very easy process,” she explained. “I had a wonderful builder who made everything stress free and the city has worked so well with us.”

Doggie Sweets offers a variety of pet products, including clothing, toys, baked treats and frozen yogurt made specifically for dogs and cats.

“There’s no other store I know of that sells ice cream specifically for dogs,” Dill said.

Some aspects, such as the clothing department, are new to the storefront.

“We carry products that range from different sizes and styles of dog clothing to a bar section to a market to a line of treats to a whole birthday section,” Dill said.

“We’re a destination, like a Starbucks for dogs,” Dill said. “With the pandemic, came a lot of pandemic puppies that are used to going everywhere with their owners. It’s nice that owners can come into the café with their dogs. It’s a very rewarding concept that I think that I kind of created for dog owners.”

“I don’t really look at any other stores as competition because we do our own thing... We offer a different vision,” she said.

The store is located on Melrose Terrace as part of the retail spaces below the new Lofts at Pier Village. Neighboring businesses include an art gallery, fitness gym, women’s clothing boutique and, conveniently enough, a Starbucks right next door.

Dill said that being one of the first open businesses on a new block can be challenging but she is optimistic about the future.

“No other stores are built around us yet. People don’t realize that there’s more to Pier Village with the new buildings,” Dill explained, “but once those other stores come in, I don’t think we’ll have any traffic issues at all. I think it’ll be a very popular area.”

School's out: Kid-friendly things to do and places to go this summer in New Jersey

Dill runs the storefront day to day with help from her husband outside of his full-time job, her three daughters and her daughter’s fiancé.

“It’s very rewarding to see the growth of Doggie Sweets in such a short time and to hear all of the positive feedback,” she said. “We have tripled our social media following from when we first opened.”

“Our customer base definitely ranges,” Dill said. “We get affluent people who live above the store and people who come from New York or Connecticut just for us, but also Long Branch residents who tell us they’ve lived there their whole lives. We have something to offer for anyone with pets.”

As for the future, Dill has goals but also plans to take changes as they come.

“I want to involve the community more. We have already had two adoption events but do plan on having more,” she said. “We just are looking to keep evolving, we already are every day. It’s a fun experience to go through.”

Doggie Sweets, Long Branch

• Owner: Patricia Dill

• Location: 20 Melrose Terrace, Long Branch

• Phone: 609-426-1900

• Website: www.doggiesweets.com

• Hours: Seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Doggie Sweets Pet Cafe opens in Long Branch NJ