Shop Dog: Truffle and Mae of American Guitar & Band

Truffle (left) and Mae amp it up at American Guitar & Band

By Meredeth Barzen

Rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well in the suburbs (we don’t mean the band), and it just so happens to be dog-friendly. For almost 10 years, American Guitar & Band in Maple Grove has been a second home to owners Cory and Stephanie Lake’s dogs, which share the space with customers, music students and other visiting pups. Sidewalk Dog chatted with Cory, a guitar enthusiast and recording engineer, and his wife Stephanie, a design historian and museum curator, about keeping their store friendly to both dogs and rock stars.

Tell us about your dogs.

Cory: Two of our three dogs are at the shop every weekday. Suki, a black pug and the first store dog is now 11, retired from her post, and cruising around in a wheelchair at home. Truffle, our 4-year-old black pug, and Mae, our 4-year-old Bug (Boston terrier/pug) “work” at AG&B.

For years, we talked about getting Suki a friend. During brunch one morning we decided to get a dog—that day. Stephanie and I drove hundreds of miles all over the state, playing with puppies until something clicked. We knew the moment we saw Truffle that she was the one.

Mae arrived from Los Angeles late last year. Stephanie was visiting her sister who had just taken on a huge new job and felt enormously guilty about not spending enough time with her dog. Mae had had a string of bad luck, too, losing a toe to a coyote, an eye to a car accident, and a broken tail somewhere along the way, all of which only made her that much more endearing.  Stephanie adored her and so she asked her sister if she could take her back to the Twin Cities. When she called on her way to the airport, she told me she would be flying home with “one-eyed Mae.” The next day she was snapped into her seatbelt and on her way to work with Truffle.

Owner Cory Lake with Mae and Truffle

How do Truffle and Mae react to other dogs in the store?

Stephanie: We love to see other dogs in the shop and our dogs love it, too—lots of running and chasing, and the occasional crush develops with the regulars. There are a few dogs that they are absolutely crazy about.

How do they feel about customers? How do the customers feel about them?

Stephanie: They are both incredibly sweet and happy to meet everyone. Sometimes they have a lot to say, sometimes just tails wagging. Mae is a superb greeter and we have to admit that Truffle is a bit more jaded. Everyone knows to look for her on Cory’s desk chair. For our music students, getting Truffle’s attention becomes a goal—they bring in treats and toys to win her over. There is a great sense of accomplishment when she gives her approval. The customers love seeing the dogs, and most accept that if they sit down in our coffee lounge they will have one in their lap. We rarely see anyone with a fear of dogs, but if someone is uncomfortable we just pick them up and keep them at bay.

What do you like about having a shop dog? Are there any frustrating moments?

Cory: One of the best things is that they instantly put people at ease and in a better mood.  How can you not laugh when these two little dogs come bounding over? They look ridiculous and it just cracks people up. It also makes it much easier to avoid stilted retail introductions and forced conversations. There is a lot of attitude in music retail, but ours is a fun, friendly shop, and the dogs instantly set the tone.

The most frustrating thing is that they will eat anything—Mae developed a rock-salt-eating habit, and Truffle likes packing peanuts. It is a bit harder to keep them safe in a public space, but they also have a lot of people that watch out for them.

You'll have to visit AG&B to find out if Truffle can hold a beat ...

Do you think having a shop dog draws people to patronize your store?

Cory: Without question. If they are at home, I get asked about them all day. It definitely gives people another reason to look forward to stopping in. They also are a huge draw for our music lesson program. We teach hundreds of elementary and junior-high school students, and seeing the dogs each week provides extra incentive to get to their lessons. It is a perk for parents, too, who can bring in their younger kids to play with the dogs and stay entertained.

We love our dogs; they are our family, and we want to have them around us as much as possible. We are incredibly lucky to own a business where they have roles and where they have fun.