Growing up Chicana with immigrant parents and five siblings, sustainability wasn’t a trend. It was our way of life. This way of life has ultimately blessed me with a unique love of the old and forgotten, rooted in the nostalgia of Saturday morning yard sales with my mom. I can't picture a moment in my childhood where I wasn't surrounded by my stuffed animal friends. Because they have always been there for me, my first motivator for this shop was simple: to be there for them now. Lila Bear began as a mission to rescue stuffed animals from yard sales. Keeping them out of the landfill for just a little bit longer meant they had a chance to love and be loved again, a dream my inner child has fought for. 

While our journey started with rescuing and restoring stuffed animals, our ultimate goal is to become a fully curated, sustainable gift shop. Loving pre-owned things is a beautiful way to protect our planet from waste, but my greatest driver is sharing beauty and paying homage to a sustainability trend that poor people of color have simply called Life. I curate this space so you can see the magic that I see. We are gently expanding our shelves to include a thoughtful mix of pre-loved home decor, cozy blankets, and wearable vintage treasures, giving all kinds of forgotten items a chance to be beautiful again.