UPPER WEST SIDE — An entrepreneurial young dog-lover who recently lost her family pup has built a popular dog-treat business that set tails wagging, while giving a boost to a city animal shelter.
Vivienne Winfield, 6, developed "Pops for Pups" this summer, selling ice-cube shaped treats that come in various dog-friendly flavors from her building's stoop on Saturdays.
She has already sold $150 worth of the frozen treats at $1 per pop over the course of two Saturdays, getting the chance to play with countless dogs in the process.
The idea to make the treats grew as Vivienne perfected her homemade popsicle-making skills this summer, said her mom, Danielle Winfield. She was also mourning the loss of the family Shar Pei, Charlie, that died in June.
"I had a dog that died, [so] I wanted to be around dogs a lot," Vivienne said.
In addition to making dogs happy, all of the proceeds from the pops will go to the no-kill animal shelter Social Tees.
The organization was moved by Vivienne's offer to help, said Samantha Brody, media and development manager for the East Village shelter.
"We are touched and blown away by her generosity and persistence. This little lady is our hero!!!" Brody said in an email.
The location of her family's building on a well-trodden path near Central Park, on West 69th Street and Columbus Avenue, played a big role in boosting her sales on separate weekends in August and September.
"We live in a great spot — it’s like dog city," said Vivienne's mom.
But the pops' flavors, packaging and price also helped the operation stand out, her mother added.
Dog owners can choose from among four different ice cube flavors dreamed up by Vivienne: bacon; bacon and Greek yogurt; peanut butter; and peanut butter and Greek yogurt.
Vivienne takes great care in following a recipe detailing the proportions that go into each flavor, which she whips up in a blender and then freezes, Winfield explained.
The bacon-only flavor was by far the most popular, selling out first, her mom noted.
"It looks gross, but the dogs seem to really like it," she said. "We’ve had people go home and come back."
Winfield wants her daughter to start learning about how companies work financially — with Vivienne tracking how much supplies cost and reinvesting in the company to help it grow — but for now her parents are covering the costs of equipment and materials.
Recently, the family adopted a hound mix named Tammy from Social Tees. The new pooch is not only filling a hole in their hearts, but can act as the first taste-tester for the company's next product.
While the icy treats may not be so appealing with winter looming, Vivienne is asking for mini-muffin tins to add to her arsenal and brainstorming a seasonally appropriate muffin mix that could tempt locals, her mom said.
It helps that Vivienne is a natural saleswoman, her mother added.
"She’s not afraid to hail anyone down," Winfield said. "She’s pretty aggressive."
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