TURNING OUR WISDOM UP TO 11

This month, The Watering Bowl celebrates its 11th anniversary. And frankly, we find it hard to believe it’s only been that long. Because these last 12 months have felt more like 11 years. Of course, it’s safe to say we aged a bit more than usual, and maybe even did a decade’s worth of stress eating along the way. But most importantly, we gained a lot of wisdom. The kind that teaches you not just about yourself — but about the goodness of other people.

Now, we know it’s February 2021. We’re firmly out of 2020. But you’ll have to excuse us for dwelling on the past for just a bit longer. This is our birthday after all. And we may just cry if we want to.

This time last year, the term “COVID-19” first came into vogue. And boy oh boy, it quickly became the hottest topic of the century. But, none of us really knew what to expect. And by “none of us,” we mean especially us. 

A global pandemic is scary business. It’s also scary for a business that depends on people not spending every hour of the day at home. In fact, we really thrive on people having normal lives. But the world had other things planned. In March last year, St. Louis went into lockdown with a “stay at home” order. Like most businesses, we closed our doors. And in the weeks and months that followed, we all watched as neighborhood shops and local companies went under.

But because of you, we weren’t one of them. 

During the lockdown, we sold gift cards and you bought them. We held an employee fundraiser and you contributed. And when our doors opened again, your dogs came running through them. This past year, you have shown canine levels of unconditional love and generosity for our team, our mission and this little community we call The Watering Bowl.

You gave us our 11th birthday and many more. 

So today, we’d like to provide a short list of the best gifts we’ve ever received: 1) you 2) you 3) your dog.

Thank you for supporting us, and believing in a place where your dog can have fun, find community and sniff some butts, which if you think about it, is a 3-in-1 deal. We look forward to seeing you soon and celebrating our 12th birthday like normal people.