SOUTHINGTON — Canine friends tired out from a walk along the linear trail can get some treats and a bath at a newly opened Leaps & Bones in Factory Square.

“We’re basically all things dog,” said Laurie Surprenant, who co-owns the business with Amy Kenkel. They held a grand opening for the Southington location, Leaps & Bones Too, on Monday, joining the South Windsor storefront they’ve operated out of since 2008.

Located in the factory turned business center adjacent to Hardcore Sweet Bakery, which also opened last week, the canine store, dog wash and bakery sells treats that Surprenant and Kenkel bake themselves, using all-natural ingredients.

“We take care of the pets from the inside out. We want to make sure the pets are getting the healthiest product we can provide them,” Kenkel said.

Along with their in-house products, they also sell collars, leashes, packaged dog food and other canine products. For dogs in need of a wash, they have a dog bath customers can use for $10, with shampoo included.

“You don’t have to worry about messing up your own bath in your house,” Kenkel said.

Since they opened in South Windsor, customers have long been pushing for a second location. Surprenant they’ve been interested in Factory Square for a few years, however, they opted to wait until the pandemic calmed down and the location had more build-out. Between the growth of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and the mix of businesses that have moved in, she said there’s consistent traffic throughout the week.

“Just having a human bakery, a dog bakery, a coffee place, a sweets shop, a brewery — it’s a mesh of products,” Surprenant said. “It’s a new community for us, but from our understanding from Perkatory (Coffee Roasters) and Rosie’s (Royal Chocolates) … locals support local businesses.”

Barbara Coleman-Hekeler, president of the Southington Chamber of Commerce, said Florian Properties, which owns Factory Square, has been at the forefront of revitalizing the lower Center Street area. The building along the linear trail has helped make downtown Southington an attraction for walkers and bikers.

“The linear path is definitely becoming a gateway to foot traffic … feeding into our businesses, so when you have a building like Factory Square, which has a variety of businesses in there, it’s an excellent stop along the trail,” she said.

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