Canines, caffeine, and chaos is the personal motto of Heather Zumwalt, co-owner of the coffee shop and dog bakery Tilted Heads (2961 Dougherty Ferry) in Valley Park. The brand’s brick-and-mortar location hosted an official ribbon cutting in May, though the concept was years in the making.
The Backstory
The idea began with Zumwalt’s German shepherd, which couldn’t tolerate store-bought treats. So Zumwalt crafted three baked treat recipes and dehydrated chicken jerky. She then worked to get her treats registered, lab tested, and able to be legally sold in Missouri.
In 2021, Zumwalt and her husband, Michael Kammer, set up shop at the Arnold Farmers’ Market, where they sold homemade and freeze-dried dog treats, along with pet bandanas. After selling out at the first market, they eventually expanded to Soulard Market.
As the business grew, so did their need for space. Dehydrating and baking treats in their house created an uncomfortable space to live in. “You knew how hot our house was because we never really had snow on it, because it was always melting,” Kammer says. “We needed a bigger space.”
The Concept
Today, local remains at the heart of Tilted Heads. Zumwalt and Kammer have built connections with local farmers and butchers, where they source the meat for their single-ingredient freeze-dried treats. They use local honey in their baked biscuit treats. “We support local with almost everything we do,” Zumwalt says.
Beyond the offerings for pets, Tilted Heads provides an expansive drink menu, including espresso, cold brew, matcha, chai, dirty sodas, lemonade, and Lotus-based energy drinks. All of the coffee drinks are made using beans from local coffee roaster Goshen Coffee Roasters. A bakery case includes rotating selections of cookies, cake pops, and sourdough bread made by Zumwalt, and there’s a sugar-free menu.
Today, Zumwalt continues to work on the business while getting to know customers. “I just want to grow but still be in the shop, where I can have my relationships with my customers and see their faces and know how their family’s been,” says Zumwalt. “That’s really what this is about—building relationships and community.”
Tilted Heads Pet Bakery & Coffee Shop
📍 2961 Dougherty Ferry, Suite 110, Valley Park
📞 636-675-8572
⏰ 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon–Thu, 7 a.m.–4 p.m. Fri, 7 a.m.–3 p.m. Sat
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