Nantucket Barkery has a bone to pick for your pooch.
With miles of trails to walk and beaches to run, Nantucket has long been a puppy’s paradise. But now, thanks to Nantucket Barkery, there’s even more reason for man’s best friend to really dig the island. For the last two years, islanders Sandy Klatt and Jen Fox have been cooking up a line of homemade dog treats that have Nantucket’s dogs wagging more and barking less.
Jen and Sandy met two decades ago while working at the Wauwinet. Sandy was a concierge while Jen was the pastry chef. Both dog lovers, they became quick friends and eventually moved in together as roommates. They started baking dog treats for their two canine companions, and soon realized they had some recipes that could really sell.
Fast forward twenty years, Jen and Sandy, both now married with children, dug up the idea for selling their dog bone creations. They baked up a batch of bones and brought them to a local craft fair on island. By the end of the day, they were completely sold out. So began Nantucket Barkery, a brand of dog goods that includes tasty treats and homemade handkerchiefs. “Everybody on Nantucket loves their dogs, so it was kind of a no-brainer,” Sandy laughs. “We bake the bones in our home kitchens, so it’s literally a cottage industry.”
Tens of thousands of treats later and the two friends have a growing business that continues to fetch new customers. Nantucket Barkery offers three kinds of bones, all made from simple, locally sourced ingredients. Last summer, the duo began using beer and whiskey mash from Cisco Brewers to create their wildly popular Brewery Bones. Other flavors include chicken rosemary and honey peanut butter. “It’s all natural ingredients that people can eat,” says Sandy. “In fact, my kids eat them and tell me they’re better than granola bars!”
Their kids’ approval aside, Sandy and Jen’s Nantucket Barkery bones are not made for human consumption — it says so directly on the packaging. This allows the two entrepreneurs to continue to bake their bones in their home kitchens, without worrying about the health inspector. And as far as the dogs are concerned, the recipes are gentle on their stomachs and packed with good nutrients for healthy skin and coats. “People come by and buy bags and bags of them,” Sandy says. “It really blows my mind.”
So if you’re looking for a tasty treat for your pooch’s stocking this holiday season, Nantucket Barkery might just have a gift they would really dig. Orders can be placed online at NantucketBarkery.com as well as at a number of retail locations on the island.
