After 14 years working at House of Fraser and 10 years at the Body Shop, Karen Hassan was made redundant in 2014. She was a dog lover and owned two but found herself struggling when searching for treats and accessories for them, which gave her the idea for her own business. Deciding to take the leap to work for herself, and with the support of a £7,450 Start Up Loan, Karen set up Bow Wows at No.7.
Bow Wows is a unit that sells dog accessories such as natural luxury treats, handmade jumpers, bandanas and high end dog food. The Start Up Loan that she received enabled her to extend the store, adding a dog friendly café alongside the shop which allows customers to come in and have a coffee.
Karen is now looking to open a new premises after the success of her first shop and café.
