BY LISA BIANK FASIG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
![[pets]](/editions/1998/11/20/dogs_170x139.jpg)
Kate Statman, left, and her sister-in-law, Melinda Statman, are founders of C'est Bone! The Gourmet Bakery for Pets.
(Michael Snyder photo)
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There are people who are crazy about their dogs, and there are people who are crazy about their dogs and know it.
Melinda Statman and her sister-in-law Kate Statman joined the canine crowd almost two years ago, when four Weimaraner pups entered their lives. Shortly after, the Hyde Park pair found a business lurking at the end of their leashes.
They call it C'est Bone! The Gourmet Bakery for Pets - all-natural, home-baked treats for the pooch.
"We wanted the best for our dogs," said Melinda Statman, a 30-year-old business analyst at the Health Alliance.
"In addition to that, we wanted to spend as much time with them as possible."
What the Statmans have today is a dog-treat wholesaling business, with products in 10 national and six local specialty stores. But what they originally wanted, and still are working toward, is a doggy cafe - a bistro where Spot and Master can enjoy the good things in life together.
A little dose of reality and high leasing fees forced the Statmans to approach the retail venture more slowly. The start-up fees for the treats alone have reached $10,000. But a growing market, good connections and fortunate timing did give C'est Bone life.
Almost by accident, they came across their first contract in February - Bonbonerie in O'Bryonville.
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LOCAL OUTLETS
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Where C'est Bone treats are sold in Greater Cincinnati:
Hyde Park Gourmet Food & Wine Shop.
Bonbonerie.
Mount Adams Bookstore.
Dilly Deli.
Fancy This.
Montgomery Wine Store.
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"I think it's just fun and a lot of people have dogs and they love their dogs," said Bonbonerie co-owner Sharon Butler, who sells C'est Bone biscuits for $3.50 to $6.50 a box. "It just sort of goes with the rest of the world trying to eat better food."
More contracts followed. Friends told well-placed friends. Trips to Chicago and Palm Beach, Fla., turned into contract searches. Both Statmans carry the biscuits wherever they go, often handing them to strangers with dogs.
"Every small contact can come to one larger," Melinda Statman said. "People buy them as housewarming gifts, gifts to dinner parties."
C'est Bone expects to generate sales of $3,000 this first year. Melinda estimates they'll be in the black by the end of 1999, if the business lands two catalog contracts. The plan is to expand to catalogs before opening a retail site, and finally branching into franchises.
The concept is not so farfetched. Dog bakeries and boutiques are popping up across the country. Hudson, Ohio, is home to Pavlov's Bark Market, and Bone Appetit Bakery operates in cities such as Omaha and Virginia Beach.
Several of these companies franchise; the Statmans want to beat them to Cincinnati.
They think they have a market for it, not only in place, but in time. Businesses are allowing employees to bring their dogs to work, and aging Baby Boomers are filling their empty nests with pooches. According to the Pet Food Institute (PFI), 38 percent of the population owns at least one dog.In 1996, consumers spent $1.1 billion on dog treats.
"We spend more time and energy and money on pets," said Karen Nishioki, PFI spokeswoman.
C'est Bone has some inbred assets. Melinda is a risk-taker, while Kate is more conservative - a nice balance. Also, Melinda's husband is a bankruptcy lawyer - not a bad advantage for a start-up.
Still, the Statmans are smoothing the rough details of starting a company: Dealing with the Department of Agriculture; having a kitchen at Melinda's house and the phone and fax at Kate's; finding bone-shaped cookie cutters.
C'est Bone also has had to perfect the all-natural recipe.
"They have to have the right texture and shelf life," said Kate Statman, 23, general manager of Arnold's downtown. "Moisture is a big issue."
C'est Bone treats can be found at stores in Cincinnati, Chicago, and Las Vegas, among other markets. In a few months it will begin querying catalog retailers.
"We have a specialized market and these are the people who treat their pets like spoiled children," Melinda Statman said. "That market is on the rise."
![[pets]](/editions/1998/11/20/dogs_550x450.jpg)