Customer Service With a Purr

Columbia has a fun assortment of office pets 

They aren’t paid employees, unless you count treats, belly rubs, and petting as currency. But several Columbia businesses have friendly, four-legged staff members. COMO Magazine caught up with a few of the furry customer service representatives. 

Helmi’s Gardens 
Fatness, Minx, and … a peacock? 

Hidden within the oasis of greenery, blossoming flowers, and vintage garden decorations is an array of animals that call Helmi’s Gardens home. Fatness, the eldest of the three cats, at twenty years old, has lived in the garden since the business started thirteen years ago. Most of the creatures, excluding the Labrador retriever, are rescues.  

Minx, an orange cat, has a box on the counter where he sits to greet customers – and he might be in the mood to be petted. The current resident peacock can be found most of the time in the enclosure with the chickens, but the one Helmi’s had before was free range. 

The peacocks like it at the garden once they learn where they live. They stay put because they can be territorial. Soon after shop owner Helmi Sheely got the bird, it was still getting a feel for his territory. The plumaged fowl surprised everyone by flying across the street one day to a little girl’s birthday party and landing in the backyard. 

“We have no idea why he decided to go over there, and the girl thought it was part of her birthday party,” Helmi said.  

Helmi’s Gardens is located just south of Columbia off Route K at 7201 S. Nursery Rd. 

Jim’s Bike and Key Shop 
Frankie the Labradoodle

Frankie at Jim’s Lock and Key is a large four-year-old Labradoodle who has a love affair with the mail lady. He has been a staple at the shop for the past two years since he started coming regularly with his owner, Darron Sheets. Frankie is often waiting for the mail at the window, and he recognizes the sound of the mail van when it pulls into the parking lot.  

Children especially enjoy Frankie’s company, but when they become overzealous, the wise canine creates some distance by hiding away in the office. When he’s not lying around the shop or following customers for a little attention, Frankie enjoys playing Frisbee during his time off. 

You can give Frank a friendly pat at 800 Vandiver Drive, Suite 102. 

Sabu’s Books
Rama the resident feline 

Rama, the mascot for Sabu’s Books, is a seventeen-year-old rescue cat. After Rama’s original owner died suddenly two years ago, Sabreena Anowar and her spouse adopted him. When Sabreena opened the used bookstore a year ago, she decided to bring Rama to work, and he has proven to be popular with customers, especially kids, who he likes to cuddle with. 

After spending most of his life as an outdoor cat, Rama has taken to living indoors and working at the bookstore. He keeps Sabreena company by talking to her with chittering noises. When she calls him, Rama will respond from somewhere in the bookstore or start making his way towards her.  

“We’ve had him for two and a half years now, and he hasn’t broken a single thing,” Sabreena says. Rama creeps around and behind the bookcases and hasn’t knocked a single book off the shelf or damaged any furnishings. 

“When he’s mad at me, he will just eat the spider plant,” Sabreena says.  

Sabu’s Books is in south Columbia at 4603 John Garry Drive, Suite 12. 

Bur Oak Brewing Company
Clyde the Cat

Clyde the Cat at the Bur Oak Brewing Company is currently on a diet after receiving too many treats from customers. With the brewing company located outside of Columbia in a rural setting, mice have the potential to cause problems. Therefore, Clyde was introduced to discourage or “deal with” any mouse appearances. 

Clyde is the same age as the brewery, which opened in 2014. 

“We got him because it just made more sense than spraying the place with a bunch of harmful chemicals that could potentially affect the way we brew,” says Sarah Love Barba, the former marketing director for Bur Oak Brewing Company. “I’ve never once seen a mouse, so I think he does a pretty good job.” (Quick note: Sarah didn’t go far, and she’ll still be at BOBC for Bingo Nights.)

Since Clyde lives at the brewery full-time, he has his own bed, climbing tower, and a treat dispenser which is, for the time being, out of commission. 

“Some of my favorite moments are when he’ll pull himself up onto the high-top chairs and sit in your lap from time to time,” Sarah says. 

The brewery is located at 8250 Trade Center Drive just east of Columbia. 

Leo’s Vintage and Variety
Pizza-loving King Sonny 

Sonny at Leo’s Old Clothes is a ten-year-old, bilingual King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Born in Hokkiado, Japan, Sonny was adopted by an Australian man in Tokyo. About a year later, Scotty Palmer, owner of Leo’s Old Clothes, adopted Sonny in Tokyo and brought him back to the U.S. Throughout his life, Sonny has visited at least seven countries.  

At home, Sonny has a mate and a litter of pups – two boys and two girls. 

“Coming to work with me gives him a little break from the big family,” Scotty says. Sonny will even take himself on walks if Scotty is preoccupied with customers. “A couple of times he’s taken off, and I didn’t notice. One time I found him inside Shakespeare’s Pizza. People were petting him and giving him pieces of pizza.”  

Leo’s Vintage and Variety is located at 9 N. Ninth St. in downtown Columbia.