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WILL Leather Goods in Venice might have a team full of laid-back employees but nobody would disagree that it is a tiny Chihuahua-Pug mix that is running the show. Shanti, which means "Peace" in Sanskrit, not only attracts customers off the streets of Abbott Kinney but she also know how to work a sale by nudging customers towards some of her favorite merchandise. When she's not acting as the window display, spokesmodel or sales team leader, Shanti is playing with customers or assisting the other employees at the in-store coffee bar.
Assistant Manager and Shanti-guardian, Emily Littlefield welcomed the pooch into her life two and a half years ago after friends found her wandering the mean streets of West Hollywood all alone. Being able to bring her to work is just another perk of working at the pet-friendly boutique. "WILL is a family-owned company," Littlefield explained of making Shanti the official store dog. "We want to foster that family atmosphere in the store as well." The clientele also loves to bring their dogs in to meet Shanti and she's even famous from Instagram: "We took Shanti out for a walk just the other day and a guy driving by in his car rolled down the windows and called out 'Shanti!'" Just a day in the life of the block's hottest "chug," as Littlefield calls her.
Shanti's favorite place to shop in the area is The Modern Dog down the street because she can't resist the peanut butter cookies and considers it to be "the Gjelina of pet food." If her fine taste is not made obvious by that, she also has her own personal style which is "vintage meets all-American girl next door" and is never found without one of WILL's signature bandanas. Her other must-haves? The Classic Carry-All Tote, the All-Leather Mason Bag and the leather dog collars (inspired by her, of course) that will be available to buy this fall.
· WILL Leather Goods [Official Site]
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