Spring is just over a week away, even though it might not feel like it. But the clocks turned forward yesterday and crocuses and daffodils are starting to bloom. We're getting lots of new spring items in as well. We now carry Vegetarian Shoes, a shoe company from England. Lur Apparel arrived last week too. They recycle pre-consumer apparel waste and turn it into amazing clothing!

On March 25th we're having our monthly sale and fundraiser. Sky's the Limit Sanctuary is our non-profit of the month and it will be great to have founders Shannon and Ryan in the store to talk about the work they do with rescued hens. Drop by and enjoy 10% off everything. We'll have snacks too and 10% of all sales goes to Sky's the Limit! Win-win!
  

We're nearing the end of the month of February. So hard to believe! We had a fun and successful Galentine's Day pop-up with snacks provided by Fauxmage, Seattle Cookie Counter, and Honor Society Coffee. We showcased local artists and had a lot of fun socializing.

This Saturday, February 25th is our Days for Girls event. We're offering 10% discounts on everything in the store and we'll donate 10% of the day's totals to Days for Girls, an org that empowers girls and women around the world by providing sustainable feminine hygiene products. This simple act helps girls stay in school, reduces child marriages, and helps prevent human trafficking.

We're getting spring items already,  in so it's a good time for a sneak peek of what the new season holds.

Hope to see you on Saturday!

I hope your New Year is off to a good start. It's nearing the end of the month and that means it's time for our fundraising event day.

This month Cupid's Landing is our non-profit. This animal sanctuary in the making will be home to rescued farm animals. They're already collaborating with other sanctuaries and will soon have a space of their own. Recently, they worked with Sky's the Limit to help bring rescued hens to safety.

Join us on January 29th from noon to 4 pm for sales, snacks, fundraising, and a meet 'n' greet with the founder of Cupid's Landing. 

Next Month's non-profit is Days for Girls. Stay tuned for more info about this organization and how they help girls and women in Malawi make reusable sanitary pads.

Early next month, we'll be celebrating women Leslie Knope style. Our Galentine's Day pop-up will feature an assortment of items made by local women. You can buy cards, candles, jewelry, and more! And we'll have snacks too. Friday, Feb 10th from 4-7 and Saturday, Feb 11th from noon to 4 pm.

It's hard to believe it's December. We've been open for six months now and we're getting ready for our first holiday season. It's going to be a fun month!

The Capitol Hill Art Walk is this Thursday, December 8th from 5 to 8 pm. We're hosting Rebecca Bush. Her show is called Good Fortune and features charming animals on small canvases, hand printed calendars and tarot decks. All proceeds to benefit Pasado’s Safe Haven.

Our non-profit of the month is Lambert House, a place for gay, lesbian, queer, transgender and questioning youth.

On Sunday, December 18th, we'll be showing art from the young people at Lambert House. Drop in and have a look.

We have a lot in store this November.

On Thursday the 10th from 5-8, we'll be taking part in the Capitol Hill Art Walk. Come on by for refreshments and to check out the wonderful photos by Laughing Tabby Photography.

We're closed on Thanksgiving so we can enjoy vegan feasts with friends and family.

Black Friday marks the starts of three days full of sales and fun! We'll have specials all weekend as we move into Small Business Saturday, and Elephant Nature Park Sunday. Elephant Nature Park is our non-profit of the month. On Sunday the 27th, Loreen, a volunteer from ENP, will be in the store to share her experiences. We'll be donating 10% of all dales that day to ENP.

We'll be having a lot of fun this month too and we hope to see you sometime in November!

October's non-profit is Hip Hop is Green, an organization bringing healthy, plant-based foods to urban youth and families. Not only do they bring free dinners to people, they host cook-offs, concerts, and other events. They're also launching a downtown garden to bring people closer to their food and help them make healthy food choices. As a vegan organization, Hip Hop is Green is also helping animals and the environment by presenting kind food choices.

A portion of all purchases in October will be donated to Hip Hop is Green. Join us on October 29th from noon to 4 pm for a special event. We'll have sales, snacks, and representatives from the organization in the store.

Happy Autumn!

September was a whirlwind and I didn't even get a chance to blog about the fun new things in store.

The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals was our non-profit of the month. We donated a portion of every sale to them and we also had a successful Fur Bearer Defenders Day. We raised over $300 for this terrific group that is working tirelessly to end the commercial fur trade and educate people on how to coexist with wildlife.

We held our first art show at the store as part of the Capitol Hill Art Walk. Anne Holderread, a customer, artist, and all-round amazing person was our first artist. She is in the middle of a drawing a day as part of her 2016 photo journal series and brought in her journal, some everyday objects that she uses as inspiration, and 20 awesome, framed  illustrations.

The evening was a success. Attendance was high, people had fun, and Anne sold most of her pieces (and gained a few commissions). You can see more of Anne's work on her Instagram page @holderreadcreative.

For August, we're donating a portion of all sales to Pasado's Safe Haven, an animal sanctuary and advocacy group right here in Washington State.  

To sweeten the pot, we're having Pasado's Day this Sunday, August 28th. What that means is you'll be able to take advantage of storewide sales throughout the day. We'll also be donating 10% of the day's sales to Pasado's. They not only rescue animals, they offer free and low-cost spay/neuters, provide humane education, and conduct cruelty case investigations. Everything we raise for Pasado's will help animals! So come on over and shop a bit, say hi, and grab some snacks. A volunteer from Pasado's will be on hand to share info about their wonderful work.

We're open noon to 5 on Sunday and we hope to see you at the store!

Every month, we choose a non-profit organization and donate a portion of all sales to them.

For our opening month-and-a-bit (May-June), we chose Precious Life Animal Sanctuary in Sequim, WA. Ralph and Caryl Turner, the sanctuary founders, rescue farmed animals, abandoned and neglected dong, and feral cats. They're tirelessness and devotion to animals made this choice a no-brainer. We were thrilled to be able to send them a check for $250.

For July, we chose Food Empowerment Project. FEP fights against the abuse of animals on farms, unfair working conditions for produce workers, the unavailability of healthy foods in communities of color and low-income areas, and the promotes slavery-free chocolate. There are parallels in food and clothing production, and FEP was a good fit for us. After a successful fundraiser, we sent FEP a check for $400!

This month--August--we're donating a portion of sales to Pasado's Safe Haven, another local animal sanctuary. Pasado's investigates animal cruelty crimes and provides sanctuary and rehabilitation to animals who have suffered from abuse and neglect. They also educate people and help introduce laws that protect animals.

Stay tuned for fundraising events and other non-profits we plan to support. Some that we have in mind include Students United Against Sweatshops, A Well-fed World, Vegfam, Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW, and Beagle Freedom Project.

If you have ideas for others, let us know!

When we first opened, we didn't have an online store. I wanted to get the in-store experience working smoothly before venturing into what is essentially a second store.

Well, we finally have an online store! The physical store has much more in stock, and probably always will. But each month, I will be showcasing some of our most popular items in the online store. The inventory is set aside so no one in the physical location will buy what's online. Online inventory is reserved for people shopping from afar.

I hope you can visit in person and touch and feel the clothing and other goodies we sell. But for those of you who don't live near the store, we have things for you now. I've limited it to accessories that aren't sized so there's less chance you'll need to send things back. I also have shoes and a few clothing styles that aren't too hard to guess at a correct size.

Happy shopping!