RIVERVIEW- It all started with Christy Chambless going with a friend to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
Her friend wanted to find a puppy. The sound of barking could be heard throughout the room as individuals approached the designated area of wagging tails and wet noses.
Numerous breeds of dogs eagerly waited in their kennels hoping to get a new home. Suddenly, Chambless spotted a giant pit bull with stitches in his eye and a cone on his head.
It was love at first sight.
At that moment, Chambless realized she and her husband, Ben, had an opportunity to give a second chance to an abused 3-year-old who was found tied to a tree and had been shot in the face more than 30 times with a BB gun.
They named him Remi, and he brought much joy to the Chambless family. Inspired by his resilience and his kindness, they named their business after him and Remi's Minis opened in 2017, first selling doughnuts out of a converted 1963 Airstream trailer and growing into a Winthrop Town Centre staple.
"We thought it would be the perfect name and logo since his welcoming face looked like a winking dog," Ben said.
Unfortunately, the Chambless family experienced a tragedy this month with the passing of Remi.
"We lost Remi suddenly and felt a rollercoaster of emotions," Christy said.
It's understandable. Remi immediately embedded himself in the hearts of his forever family.
On the first night Remi jumped into their bed. He fit right into the family with his well-natured demeanor. They discovered one day that he could sit, give paw and rollover. He even attended outings with them to the beach, pool and mountains.
Remi had no issue with swimming out in the ocean with his family.
A dog's complete and unconditional love allows it to earn a special place in the hearts of families and people.
"I believe a dog's love can bring so much comfort to the living and the dying," said Sherry Silk, CEO of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
Remi's Minis came into fruition through an idea Ben and Christy had. They would travel to Los Angeles several times a year. Ben and Christy noticed small doughnut shops thriving, which led them to conduct research on mini doughnuts when they returned home from their trip. They liked the Airstream trailer concept, purchased one and converted it into a food truck.
Remi's Minis offers mini doughnut delights with an assortment of flavors. It also serves coffee from Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters.
On a side note, it gives a free plain doggie doughnut to those who bring their dog.
In addition to that, Remi's Minis does not accept tips. Instead they take donations and give them monthly to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Both Ben and Christy believe that a combination of Remi's story, charitable donations, a good product and more allowed them to push through their first year.
With Remi's passing, Ben and Christy will still donate to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay every month. To commemorate him they will continue to tell Remi's story.
"Overall, we do not want Remi to ever be forgotten and feel blessed that we gave him a second chance," Christy said. "Remember to tell the people in your lives that you love them because you never know when your time will be up."
For more information, visit facebook.com/RemisMinis.
Contact Tatiana Ortiz at hillsnews@tampabay.com.
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