We’ve procrastinated this blawg entry because it’s still difficult to fathom: Murphy’s cousin, Molly, has made her way to Rainbow Bridge. Molly was a huge inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of meeting her and she will be dearly missed. Here’s her story.
As many of you know, Murphy’s Paw is inspired by our very own Murphy. It’s hard to believe our first-born son will be turning eight-years-old this November! This got me thinking about his “metamurphosis” since becoming a member of our family. Below you’ll find a photographic timeline/tribute to “Masters Sunset Warrior,” a.k.a. Murphy Sadek. (Click to enlarge.)
In the words of Kenny Rogers:
“Through the years, you’ve never let me down
You turned my life around, the sweetest days I’ve found
I’ve found with you, through the years.”
Those of you living in the Tri-Valley are likely familiar with Diablo Magazine. Every month, “The Magazine for the San Francisco East Bay” is a must-read for us locals, covering topics ranging from travel, culture, entertainment, recreation, and food. With locally-driven editorial, beautiful photography, and resource listings, Diablo is a unique celebration of the area we call home. The August issue features Diablo’s Pet Guide, from A-Z.
From Bling (Ashley & Co.) to Grooming (Shampooches) to Yappy Hour (Murphy’s Paw!) this alphabetical guide is an awesome resource for Bay Area pet owners. The August issue hit newstands next week. Check it out!
Since Murphy’s Paw is located in the heart of beautiful downtown Pleasanton, we thought it would be fitting to share with you other dog-friendly downtown establishments.
If you’re strolling downtown with your pooch and would like to grab a bite to eat, the following restaurants allow dogs in outdoor patio seating:
Baci Bistro and Bar
Cafe Main
Oasis Grille
Redcoats
Stacey’s Cafe
Vic’s All-Star Cafe
Technically it is against California health code to allow dogs in patio areas where food is being served to tables by paid staff. However, in addition to the above establishments, other downtown restaurants will allow dogs to relax on the other side of their fenced-in outdoor seating area. You and your dog have plenty of options!
The majority of retail stores downtown are very dog-friendly. Few exceptions are stores that carry food items or fragile merchandise, such as bridal gowns. The list continues to grow:
Apparel & Co.
Berry Patch
Cazinha Portrait Designs
Celebrity Bound
Fleet Feet
Jewelers Gallery
Me and Emmi
Murphy’s Paw 
Passionate Athlete
Resurrection
Serenity Stoneworks
Sincerely Yours Cards & Gifts
Studio 7
The Wine Steward
Thriving Ink
Towne Center Books
Your Stage Toys
We hope you and your canine family members enjoy our great downtown!
The Team at Murphy’s Paw
Murphy’s Paw is excited to announce an exclusive agreement with local artist Cody Williams! Cody’s artwork will be available in t-shirt format later this month. Here’s a sneak peak:
Cody is a Pleasanton-born dog lover and Murphy’s Paw enthusiast. Raised by a pack of wild Boxers from a young age, he has since moved into the company of such breeds as Chihuahuas and now resides with his spoiled Westie named Zoey. Cody loves drawing silly things for children, including, but not exclusive to: monsters, space aliens, ghosts, and superheroes. For more of Cody’s doodlez, please visit therocketbay.com.
Want Craig Ferguson to visit Downtown Pleasanton again?!?!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jtEe93AWFM
Email Craig at: http://www.cbs.com/late_late_show/email/
Let’s do this people!
–The Team at Murphy’s Paw
A few weeks ago we sent our customers an email asking them to let us know what food they feed their dogs and what additional items they would like to see us carry. We’ve appreciated all the great feedback and have started to make some changes to help us better serve you. We are very close to finalizing the dog food lines we’ll be carrying. This decision isn’t being taken lightly. Stay tuned!
As a result of your added feedback, we are now carrying a wider range of dog chews. We have added 15 products to our natural selection, including snouts, femur bones, wizzlers, and jerky. We also stock “ZUKES” chew bones and a wide selection of Nyla-Bones.
We’re also adding a bulk cookie section; our stock has already started to arrive. We’ll be carrying four different flavors, including organic treats and cookies for bad breath.
Within the next few months we’ll be expanding our toy selection and adding new maintenance products including grooming tools, puppy pads, and training aids.
With all of these new products, we need to make room in the store! Time for a sale!! Upon your next visit to Murphy’s Paw, you’ll see signs posted with different color stickers. These stickers reflect a percentage off each respective product. We have items in almost every category on sale: beds, apparel, bowls, leashes, collars, and more! Visit soon to help us make room!
(In addition, check out the events page for info on our St. Paddy’s Sale!)
Please keep in mind that Murphy’s Paw wouldn’t be possible without our devout customers. We are always a work-in-progress and your valuable feedback makes a difference.
Thank you for your pawtronage!
The Team at Murphy’s Paw
As the chair of Pleasanton’s downtown merchant group, I thought it would be appropriate for me to update our customers on what is happening in our community. Many people have expressed concern about the empty buildings on Main Street. Unfortunately, this is a reality of our current economy and we are not alone. You can visit almost any downtown and see empty spaces.
That being said, the downtown merchant group is forward-thinking. We want to make sure that downtown is in a position to thrive as our economy gains momentum. We are looking at all aspects of the downtown shopping experience and how we can improve. We’re also working on a number of events to help promote downtown as a family-friendly environment. The first of these events is titled “It’s a Spring Fling” and will be held on May 8th. Stay tuned for more details!
At the city level, our group is researching other downtowns in CA. We are specifically looking at how these cities restrict the types of businesses inhabiting their main downtown areas. Pleasanton currently has 69 nail/hair/medi/spas, 7 banks, and less than 40 retail stores in the downtown footprint. This current mix of businesses doesn’t attract pedestrian traffic-flow up and down Main Street. Frankly, this has resulted in downtown shrinking to just a few successful blocks. So far research shows that a majority of successful CA downtowns (Carmel, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Napa, Petaluma, Alameda, etc.) have some sort of restriction in place.
Downtown Pleasanton is already a great destination, but improvements can be made. If you are interested in getting updates on downtown happenings and would possibly like to attend city council meetings, please email ptowncitizens@yahoo.com. You will be added to the email list for updates.
We are so thankful for our wonderful customers who help us maintain our business through these tough times. We are here to stay, and hope you are as well!
Thanks again for your support and pawtronage!
Melanie
Artwork courtesy of 3DBizMaps
Since opening in November 2007, we’ve tried to set ourselves apart from other dog boutiques. Aside from the unique product lines, Yappy Hours, and Bark Obama vs. John McCainine election fundraisers…we like to leverage technology. Seriously.
Nintendogs? Well, not exactly. But if you’ve visited Murphy’s Paw, chances are we’ve taken a digital snapshot of your canine family member. These pics are showcased on our two in-store flatscreens in random order…..24 hours a day. Pawloroids? C’mon!
But there’s more.
As I type this, we have over 2000 photographs on both Flickr and MySpace.
These pics are arranged by month for easy viewing. If you can’t find your pooch, don’t worry: we’ll take another photo or two next visit. You never know…your dog could be Pleasanton’s next top model!
Thanks for checking in.
Mike
P.S. Don’t forget to join the “Murphy’s Paw Pawtrol” on Facebook!
Last Friday was yet another festive Yappy Hour! Some of our customers learned about this event by being members of “The Murphy’s Paw Pawtrol” on Facebook. We highly encourage customers to join our Facebook group to have a paw on the pulse of what’s happening at Pleasanton’s best pet store.
In addition, we are running a 20% off sale on dog beds through the end of the month. As evidenced by our spot on “The View from the Bay,” investing in a high quality dog bed can save you money in the long run. Let sleeping dog’s lie!
Finally, please stay-tuned for upcoming events and promotions in February and March. Thanks again for being a valued customer; we appreciate your pawtronage!
