There’s a sense of community when customers walk into Dawgs All Day. It’s not the decor, or the sounds of happy dogs playing in the back of the shop— no— its owner Vannessa Cruz’s warm and welcoming greeting that gives her business a touch of home that has made it into a Bushwick staple.  

In 2015 Cruz, 38, opened the doors of her shop. Her vision was simple— to bring a warm and helpful daycare and grooming service to her neighborhood, just like the businesses she was used to growing up around in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

“From the same friendly faces and exchanges, to the convenient bodegas and local Spanish restaurants with cheap good eats just a small walk away I want this to feel exactly the same as when I grew up” says Cruz about the environment she wants to create.