Bowling Green gift shop gives Sarah Kessler an opportunity to grow

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Down Dog BG is more than a downtown gift shop offering products for people and their pets.

The family-owned business was created to give Sarah Kessler an employment opportunity after her family struggled to find a job that could accommodate her medical needs and abilities.

When Sarah graduated from high school, her family spent months searching for the right fit. After struggling to find an opportunity, Sarah’s parents decided to create one themselves.

“We had been trying to help her find some employment after high school, and due to some of her medical needs, special needs, you know, just any job that we tried to find, help her navigate, you know, to find was not going to be well suited for her specific needs,” said Heather Kessler, Sarah’s mother and co-owner of Down Dog BG.

After months of searching, Heather said the family decided to combine Sarah’s love of animals with an interest in running a business.

The family opened Down Dog BG in 2024, initially operating from a smaller space before moving to its current location on East Main Avenue.

Sarah lives with epilepsy and has faced other medical challenges. Heather, who comes from a family of educators, views the store as an opportunity for Sarah to learn through hands-on experience.

“I consider our store to be really a giant project-based learning or PBL experience for her,” Heather said.

Through the business, Sarah has learned to help manage inventory, price merchandise, process items through the store’s point-of-sale system and communicate with customers.

Heather said watching her daughter become more comfortable interacting with the public has been especially rewarding.

She recalled how Sarah initially was reluctant to engage with customers but has grown more confident welcoming visitors and talking with them about their dogs.

“Communication is a skill that, you know, I’ve been working on with her,” Heather said. “And this job requires her to communicate with the public.”

Heather said the progress has made the experience worthwhile for their family.

Sarah said one of her favorite parts of working at the shop is getting to talk with customers and meet their dogs.

“Like talking to the people and then having them bring their doggos in,” Sarah said.

Despite its name, Down Dog BG is not exclusively a pet store. The business offers a variety of gifts for people and their pets, including pet accessories, locally roasted coffee, pottery, chocolates, candles and other specialty items.

The shop also carries products from Thistle Farms, a social enterprise that supports survivors of human trafficking, prostitution and addiction through employment and other services.

Heather said the family tries to feature locally made products whenever possible, giving customers another way to support small businesses and makers.

The business also includes a small yoga studio in the back, where Heather, a registered yoga teacher, offers customized yoga experiences for groups.

Beyond running a business, Heather said the experience has changed how she views employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

She described the difficulty of pursuing job opportunities for Sarah and the disappointment of hearing from employers who suggested they might revisit the possibility of hiring her daughter after filling other positions.

The experience, she said, brought into focus the challenges families can face when trying to find suitable work for loved ones with disabilities.

Heather hopes employers will recognize that people with disabilities have different abilities and may succeed when given appropriate training, accommodations and opportunities.

“You cannot take all people with disabilities and put them in one category,” Heather said.

She encouraged employers to take time to understand individual applicants rather than making assumptions about what they can do.

For families facing similar challenges, Heather said persistence and community connections can make a difference.

“Just don’t stop reaching out, asking questions, networking,” she said.

Down Dog BG is located at 308 E. Main Ave., Suite A, in downtown Bowling Green. The shop shares a main entrance with neighboring Lucky Dog Yoga, but the businesses operate separately. Once inside, visitors can follow the sign directing them to the left for Down Dog BG’s gift shop.

Regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store is closed Sunday and Monday.

For Sarah and her family, Down Dog BG is more than a place to shop. It is an opportunity created from a family’s determination to find a path forward — one that continues to help Sarah build skills, connect with the community and grow in her role.