Meet Richmond's favorite shop dogs
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Duke, Corks & Keg's shop dog, in front of beers with his face on it. Photo: Courtesy of Joey Johnson
Move over, Francine. The shop dogs are winning over Richmond hearts now.
Why it matters: Despite the city seemingly becoming a cat town, we apparently have a lot of shop dogs with a loyal following.
Here are a few of them:
Lincoln is a 13-year-old American pit bull mix who has been the shop dog at J. Emerson Fine Wine on Grove Avenue — which just celebrated its 40th anniversary — since 2016.
- He's Puerto Rican, according to owner James Compton, and arrived in Virginia as a puppy in 2012.
- Lincoln loves laying out in the sun and taking himself down to Beecroft & Bull to say hi and get treats.
- "Everyone gets a kick out of how he goes out on his own and comes right back," Compton says.
Then there's Duke, a 5-year-old rescue at Corks & Kegs on Patterson whose face gets put on a beer label each year for his birthday in June.
- The beers change each year and have been called "Duke's on Sunday" with Duke in a vacation outfit, "Duke in the South"and "Duke Gets Lost At Sea."
- His owner Joey Johnson says Duke "loves treats, all people and sitting on your foot while you pet him so you can't walk away."
- Reader Alicia C. told us he's "the best shop dog around town, hands down! It's not even close!"
Honorable mentions:
- Sienna, the shop dog at It's A Man's World in the Arts District.
- Birdie, a Labrador Retriever pictured here on staff appreciation day, and Remy at Gardner & La Rochelle Orthodontics in Willow Lawn.
- Both are therapy dogs in training, per a post, and comfort patients or offer cuddles in the waiting room.
Sabrina's thought bubble: I need to change orthodontists.
Did we miss any? We can't get enough, so shoot us an email ([email protected]) and let us know if there are more.