SAN DIEGO — For many people their morning routine includes a cup of coffee and walking the dog but what if those two loves were combined? In this Zevely Zone, I visited a cafe in Pacific Beach that's gone to the dogs.
La Clochette: The French Pastry & Coffee Shop is where your pet can become a 'mug star'.
Look up the definition of dog friendly in the dictionary, you may find La Clochette. "This is Marcus, the famous Marcus," customer Rob Hertzfeld was shocked to see his dog's mug on a mug.
"They didn't tell me, I came in. I regularly come in a couple of times a week and they said Marcus," said Rob. "Up there and I go oh my god it's Marcus on a mug, it's a Marcus Mug."
Chris and Sarah Cisek bring their dogs known as the Pacific Beach Polar Bears in so often, they too were immortalized on the side of a coffee cup.
"I think they have faces for it, so I wasn't totally surprised, no we were very excited," laughed Sarah.
Following this story, the brother and sister owners of the cafe Willy Wu and Karine Beers will be serving a lot more than coffee and breakfast. I asked them what they are you going to do when there is a long line around the block of dog owners demanding their dog's faces be plastered on the side of a coffee cup.
"Well, we'll do it. We have to, right? It's like the DMV we'll give them a ticket come, come, come keep them coming," laughed Karine.
Once La Clochette finds a star, they contact Art by Autumn, the business next door. "This is a drawing that is on my computer that is digital," said the artist Autumn Love. She confided in us that she's actually a cat person but happy to become dog's best friend too.
"Why not collaborate? That sounds amazing why would I not collaborate with my neighbor and spread the love?" said Autumn. "You're in my love zone right now." Autumn is making the cups as fast as she can.
Little Luna, known as the cafe's mascot, got a coffee mug too. "I guess she is well known around the neighborhood now so she's a local celebrity," said Diana Whealan who comes to La Clochette daily whether she wants to or not.
"As soon as we hit one of the four corners around the block Luna is dragging me here even at nighttime when they are closed, she will stop right at the door and just wait," said Diana.
Which is what Axel, and his owner Alli are doing; 'waiting' to be discovered. I asked Alli if her dog was famous and on a mug. "We are working on it. We are working on it, we are really trying hard," said Alli.
Every dog has its day. I asked The Pacific Beach Polar Bear owners how many mugs they bought. "Five and we still have not made our holiday order but there will be more to come," said Sarah. Can you imagine, a dog lover slowly unwrapping a coffee mug with their dog's face on the side? "Voila!!" said Autumn.
La Clochette is open daily from 7 AM to 2:30 PM. The food is authentically French, with a menu that would make even a Parisian feel at home. Visit La Clochette’s Instagram to learn more about getting your fur baby featured.