‘It’s been incredibly rewarding’: Community farewells beloved cafe

It was the ingenious business idea that locals loved but now the owners behind a famed puppy cuddling cafe have called it quits.

Madeline and Matthew Nixon, a vet nurse and carpenter by trade respectively, did not envisage that their puppy cafe Collies. and Co would be so successful, nor touch the lives of so many people.

After defects were found at the building located at 14 Main Street, Samford by its new owners, the Nixons were forced to cease trade by November 27, leading to a heartfelt farewell message via their Facebook page.

At its peak, 300 people were in the cafe at once, at least three times a day, when their famed 45-minute puppy cuddling sessions were running.

Mrs Nixon launched the cafe in September of 2019, after the previous owners were forced to find new operators after they encountered their own health issues.

Mr Nixon gave his wife his full support to launch the cafe, becoming a stay-at-home father, chipping in with the business and looking after their litters of breeding dogs at home.

The Nixons went through the learning curve of a commercial leasing process, had never worked in hospitality before but threw everything they had at it, despite not being ‘well-off’ financially.

Employees Indi and Sophie with cute black Labradors. Picture: Contributed

It was the ingenious business idea that happened by accident — first, Mrs Nixon simply put together a fenced area for her puppies which she couldn’t spend time with at home.

“It blew up so fast, I didn’t think it would reach that many people and in weeks,” Mrs Nixon said.

“We would have people lining out the front at 6.30 in the morning.

“It was so fast, we had no booking system around it, no structure, it was chaos.

“The whole place was filled, we struggled so bad in the kitchen because being new to hospitality, we hadn’t even found our feet.

“Back in the day when the puppy cuddle sessions were 15 minutes, over 320 would fill out the cafe at one time, for three times a day.”

The Dixon family enjoying Halloween in 2019 at Collies. and Co. Picture: Contributed

Business was booming and it saw more rescue and surrendered puppies coming into the cafe and getting crucial socialisation skills in their first 12 weeks of life.

The Puppy Cuddle Dining Experience included a meal before entering the puppy socialisation yard held with litters from their network of breeder partners or various rescue and fostered puppies.

Their closing down post on Facebook was inundated with 1900 comments, with customers sharing photos and memories of their time with the puppies.

“I didn’t realise how much impact or how much good it would do,” Mrs Nixon said.

“It’s been incredibly rewarding.

“Everyone has a dog story even if they don’t have a dog now, they had a dog, grew up with a dog or there was a dog they knew.

“Seeing staff grow and take on these extra goals and responsibilities and grow, that’s really rewarding.”

Brody was a Collies and Co. senior animal attendant, making sure the puppy cuddle sessions were running smoothly. Picture: Contributed

The original owners whom the Nixons acquired the cafe from passed away in early 2021 and the cafe and neighbouring vet was sold off by the family trust.

The Nixons lease lapsed during the sale period and they were hopeful the new owners would offer a new lease.

The Nixons were told the new owners only wanted the property as an investment and it was business as usual while waiting for a new lease.

“We came to a six month agreement and that’s what we operated under for a few moments while the handover occured,” Mrs Nixon said.

“Last Friday at 4pm, an email was sent saying additional defects found within the building, the handover had occurred the day before and the new owners were worried about the continued legality of operating a business there.

“From what I understand, there's not much they could’ve done.

“There’s paperwork and certificates which aren’t in order for the property, which means that a business can’t run there and it probably hasn’t been legal to run it there.

“It was quite a shock reading that email.”

The closed sign outside Collies and Co. Picture: Collies and Co./Facebook

Mrs Nixon recalled the touching impact that puppy cuddles had on a lady who was going through chemotherapy.

“We had a lady come in when we were fully booked and I was out back in the kitchen working,” Mrs Nixon said.

“Anika one of our girls who used to work with us, she came in and said, ‘there’s a lady out the front, she’s just come from her first chemo session, she was wondering if she could get in but we’re fully booked’.

“I said, ‘what are you doing, get out there and get her a puppy’ and Anika said ‘good that’s what I thought you’d say’.

“That’s what dogs are best at, healing broken hearts.

“We’ve had engagements and so many people who lost their best friend and they’re not ready for another friend yet but they can come in and enjoy that love and the pure happiness.

“It doesn’t matter how bad of a day you’ve had, once you got a puppy sitting or sleeping in your lap, it’s okay.”

Mrs Nixon said she was going to enjoy more time with her family and Christmas, after working seven days a week at Collies. and Co.