How it all started
In the Fall of 2018, I began volunteering at the South Los Angeles County Animal Shelter. At the time, it was a kill shelter. Meaning that after a certain amount of time, an animal would be put down. There were a number of reasons, the animal may not be in the best health, the animal was aggressive and the worst in my opinion was over crowding. It’s a very harsh reality of living in Los Angeles and the increased population of not only people but pets as well. There are a lot of dogs and cats that are neglected for a number of reasons. I chose South LA because it had the highest amount of dogs for adoption at the time. When I began volunteering, like anyone else, I cleaned the kennels and walked the dogs to get them outside for a part of their day. I would go back every other Saturday and it was incredibly hard to see all of the dogs and not want to take one home. Well, after months of debating, I thought about adopting. However, at the time, my apartment didn’t allow pets.
Luna and Rocky, both adopted.
Well, one day I visited and a small dog caught my attention. She was pressing her nose against the kennel door because one of her friends had decided to relieve himself in the middle of the room. She had a strong personality and this dog would not let me leave, I’d walk past to pet other dogs. However, I’d look back and without a sound, she would be staring me down. I checked and she was owner surrendered. Someone had taken her back the shelter. This is how it all began, I met (at the time) Chloe. I couldn’t leave without her, she was available and while she hated my ex husband, it was meant to be!
On the way home, she peed on my lap. She was so smelly that we had to go directly to Pet Smart to have her groomed. It was the only place open on a Friday at 7pm. She didn’t know her name and wouldn’t move her ears when you spoke to her. She was just a little over a year old when I adopted her. The shelter had little information about her. What they knew was that she had been owner surrendered, had a scar on her neck from most likely being chained up and her paws were not in the best condition. She was under weight as well at only 15lbs. In the car ride home, I thought about every name in the book. Luna. It just fit her!
Fast forward, I got married, divorced and travelled across the county to move back to Georgia. I lived in California for almost 13 years and the only thing that I truly felt I lost was Luna’s brother, Rocky. That’s a story for another time because I can’t make it though without crying! Rocky was also owner surrendered, twice, and was a Schnauzer/Poodle mix with a lazy but adorably bossy personality. He was a huge inspiration behind the treats and bakery component of the business. If you know Schnauzers, then you know that they have very sensitive stomachs! Which on that note, we’ll be at Schnauzerfest in Rome on 10/26 to support all of our fellow pet owners!
Back to the story, Luna rode in the car for four days and when she arrived she had two cousins and grandparents! She would absolutely dump me for my dad, any day, ha! All joking aside, Luna changed my life. I wanted her to be happy and live the best life possible. She has always been there through the ups and down. I’m sure many people can relate and that’s why I started the bakery. It was my desire is to bring a fun concept with unique items to small towns and offer curated products without the price tag!
I’ve worked in Product Development for a long time and in the fashion industry for almost 15 years. I started sewing at 12 and made dresses with my grandma. That led to working on costumes for my High School in Calhoun and eventually a career that requires a lot of attention to detail! My job is to make the product come to life! Starting a business takes money, time and knowledge (in my opinion). It takes experience to understand customer needs and adapt. I didn’t want the bakery to feel overwhelming, the eventual store will be a well thought out space with an open concept. Think vintage candy shop or the chocolate shop from Willy Wonka meets a bright and colorful tropical look! Having a business is hard in the current economy, but this started as a passion and my love for dogs, which will always be a priority!
