It was not long ago when Satish Bapatla found himself driving almost an hour away to buy a birthday cake for his dog Cosmo, a white bishon frisé.
After looking all around for a custom birthday cake, he found it at a Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming in Bridgewater.
It was somewhat with the insistence of his wife, Sunetha, and teenage daughter – who shares a birthday with Cosmo. Deep down inside, Satish also wanted to get the cake for Cosmo, who is now 3, going on 4.
That year not only did Cosmo get his cake, but the idea started churning for Satish and Sunetha to open their own Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming franchise.
When the spot opened in Metuchen at 349 Lake Ave, Suite 110, the couple took their leap into entrepreneurship. It was October 15, 2024.
Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Metuchen is your neighborhood pet store, offering full-service grooming and a wide selection of nutritious pet treats and food, according to its website. In addition to meeting pets’ nutritional needs, Woof Gang Bakery Metuchen carriers stylish essentials, fashionable accessories, a variety of toys and a wide range doggie spa products.
Coming up on a year, the five-star positive reviews are in – 250-plus on Google – on customer/dog treatment to the use of a luxury-brand shampoo and conditioner.
“It’s a key differentiator,” Satish said of the grooming products they use.
Expert groomers treat every pet as family, giving them the special care they deserve, making them more than just a service. They have five steady groomers with 10-plus years of experience plus three sales associates.
“We are a haven where your dog feels loved and leaves looking and feeling their absolute best,” the website states.
When Satish first visited a Woofgang, he was blown away by the varied collection of the all-natural treats, cookies and cakes.
“I was thinking there’s a lot of customers like me looking for cake, cookies and treats,” he recalled.
Along with the all-natural treats, there is nutritious pet food and a variety of natural chews, toys, and accessories available for a one-stop destination for one’s pet’s needs.
Satish says he’s always researching for the next best thing. For St. Patrick’s Day, through research, he brought in dog beer so customers could essentially have a beer with their dog.
Looking ahead, the location will celebrate their anniversary month with a first anniversary giveaway. Book an appointment on Oct. 17, 18 and 19 and be entered to win a free raffle or spa upgrade. Winners will be announced on Oct. 27.
They plan to also hold a Halloween parade. People can bring their pets in costume.
The business supports the overall community with charity events from donating dog crates for the service dogs of the Edison Police Department to donating a raffle to the local YMCA. They hope to run pet adoption events in the future.
Grooming and store hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information visit woofgangbakery.com/pages/locations/Metuchen.
