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In downtown Pittsburg, a business all about second chances sets out to support others in the community. The Doggie Bag is a vintage and pre-loved shop with the sole mission to raise funds for the SEK Humane Society and highlight local artists.
Victoria Shanks, the manager of the Doggie Bag, Pittsburg State Alumna, and Pittsburg local, makes it her mission to give back to the community. Continuing a decades-long effort to support the SEK Humane Society, “The Doggie Bag actually began as a yearly garage sale back in 1987, and all the money made from this big annual garage sale was then donated to the SEK Humane Society,” Shanks explained. Adding that the idea has been an ongoing effort for almost 40 years, she said, “By 1996 it was such a big deal that it was decided the ‘garage sale’ would just become a thrift store, and that was the first year The Doggie Bag was a real brick and mortar store! We’ve been in operation ever since, with 100% of our proceeds always being donated to the SEK Humane Society.”
This communicated the classic message that everyone deserves a second chance through the business mission.
“At its core, The Doggie Bag is about second chances, for cool items and threads, and for animals. We are a 100% donation-based thrift shop, 100% of our proceeds go to the SEK Humane Society, our local no-kill animal shelter committed to caring for animals of all breeds and health needs,” Shanks said. “Beyond that, we strive to be a space that uplifts the community – whether that’s through treasure hunting at the shop, local events, or creating a space where people can just feel good about walking into.”
Staying in the heart of Pittsburg, The Doggie Bag is on Broadway and has been since its beginning. “Historically, we began as a garage sale that was able to transition to a brick-and-mortar store. We’ve managed to stay on Broadway, even though we’ve moved several store locations up and down Broadway,” Shanks explained.
Within the shop, there are local artist spotlights; each month, a new artist’s work is featured in the store with products for sale. Shanks shared how the store has evolved within the recent years, “In the last six years that I’ve been with the organization, we’ve transitioned from your average thrift shop to a little hub of local art, fun events, workshops, and so much more!”
“Proceeds from the store have been used for and in all kinds of situations, whether that has been an emergency intake, a medical issue, paying utility bills at the SEKHS [SEK Humane Society], upkeep at the SEKHS, you name it, the proceeds we make here at the shop can be used for it,” Shanks said. 100% of the Doggie Bag’s proceeds are given to the SEK Humane Society, but the Doggie Bag makes more initiatives than donating money to the animal shelter. “Not only do our proceeds directly go to the SEK Humane Society, but there have been times we’ve been able to have adoptable cats at the shop, and we’ve had many cats find their forever home through the Doggie Bag,” she adds.
Challenges come with any business endeavor. Shanks shares how upholding each unique story of the donations while maintaining the business’s own story is at times challenging. “One of the biggest challenges is embracing the unexpected. Every donation comes with its own story, and we work hard to figure out how to honor that while keeping our shop looking aesthetically pleasing with a little bit of that thrift store grunge appeal.”
“Another is ensuring that day after day the shop is thriving, making sure that every effort we put in translates into meaningful support for the animals as well as our community.”
Through the challenges, Shanks remains motivated for the mission through her love of animals and oddities. “I have never met an animal that I didn’t fall in love with immediately, so supporting a mission rooted in compassion and second chances feels very natural to me. The SEK Humane Society’s no-kill philosophy and the passionate, all-women team behind it continually inspires me, and I can’t say that enough. She continued, “I’ve also always been drawn to the beauty in the overlooked and the unusual, so being able to work with antiques, vintage pieces, and visual merchandising makes this role feel like a perfect intersection of purpose and creativity. Truly a dream job.”
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