Ridgefield’s downtown has long been shaped by its history, businesses and community figures. One of the most beloved figures among them is Otis, a black-and-white Boston terrier who roamed Main Avenue and Pioneer Street, greeting customers, collecting treats and even making a historic bid for city manager.
Scott Hughes took ownership of Ridgefield Hardware & Gift in 1999. After his father-in-law passed away two years later, Otis, who had been living with Hughes’ mother-in-law, began making daily trips to the store on his own. Eventually, it became clear that Otis considered the hardware store his true home.
Hughes and his wife, Cathy, soon took ownership of the dog.
“He wasn’t living with us at the time, and he would come down. After about a month of just bringing him down ... we took ownership of him, sort of. No one owns Otis, I can tell you that,” Hughes laughed.
Otis quickly became well-known for his daily routine.
“Once a day, he would go down the alleyway over to the First Independent Bank and wait at the door,” Hughes recalled. “As soon as someone came through, he would sneak in, they’d all give him biscuits ... and then come back to the store. It was just a daily ritual for that dog. He was just super.”
Even when Otis began losing his eyesight in his later years, he still made his way downtown.
“He would walk out to Main Street, and he walked down the middle following the yellow line or the to come to the store,” Hughes said. “This is where he was born and raised practically, and that’s what he wanted to do.”
A political run and a local icon
Otis’ popularity among locals led to an unexpected turn of events in 2004. After City Manager Randy Bombardier was fired following a misdemeanor charge, a group of local business owners jokingly suggested Otis should run for the position.
A group of locals, including Donna and Peggy Quall, Tim Dawdy and Patricia Thompson, orchestrated the campaign. Overnight, posters appeared throughout Ridgefield, and the town quickly embraced the idea. The campaign came as a complete surprise to Scott and Cathy Hughes, who returned from vacation to find their dog suddenly in the political spotlight.
“We were off on vacation for a weekend,” Hughes said. “We came back and saw these signs on the window. Then a friend of mine called from Dallas, Texas, and said, ‘I saw you on ABC this morning.’ I had no idea what they were talking about.”
News of Otis’ campaign spread beyond Ridgefield. The story was featured in local papers, on the Paul Harvey Show and BBC.
“We had people for years coming in to see Otis,” Hughes said. “It was amazing, I was on BBC, on the Radio, on a TV station ... It just blew up.”
Though Otis never officially became city manager, he remained a cherished part of Ridgefield’s community celebrations. For several years, Hughes and his family featured him in the annual Ridgefield Fourth of July Parade. Following his campaign, Otis rode in style once again, this time with a new title, as the family launched the ‘Otis for King’ campaign, complete with a float fit for royalty.
“Otis was always on the float,” Hughes said. “One of the best ones we had was ... a 1946 Dodge convertible with a throne in the backseat. My two boys [dressed as] Secret Service agents and it was probably one of the simplest yet most beloved floats we ever had in the parade.”
A lasting legacy
Otis passed away in March 2008 at the age of 15, leaving behind a legacy that still resonates in Ridgefield.
“Oh, that was really a sad time,” Hughes said. “Of all the Boston terriers we’ve ever had, he was the most original, and the one everyone identified with.”
Hughes continued the tradition of having Boston terriers at Ridgefield Hardware & Gift. In 2018, local artist Kassi Summers painted a mural featuring the store’s two resident dogs at the time, Odette and Snooks. Though the couple later welcomed a new Red Boston terrier, Olive, they recently decided to keep their pets home.
Otis’ presence remains woven into downtown Ridgefield. A hanging sign bearing his face still swings outside the store, and a copy of his campaign flyer is displayed on the west side entry door.
When asked how Otis would have run Ridgefield as city manager, Hughes laughed.
“I think he would have said, ‘We need more dogs downtown.’ And I’d have to agree.”
Downtown Ridgefield visitors can find Otis’ paw imprints set in cement on the south side of Ridgefield Hardware & Gift. Next to the mural, a historical sign created by the Ridgefield Main Street team commemorates his legacy in what is now known as “Otis Alley.” The historical site can be found at 214 Pioneer Street.
