And Give Us a Moment to Break Down Some Complicated Lore
“Good morning!” Or so Mariano would say, no matter what time of day.
Mariano Perez is the co-owner of our workshop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. He personally checks that every single product is being welded, formed, painted, and wired correctly by a team he knows and trusts. Jane may be the visionary behind Stray Dog Designs, but Mariano is the motor that propels her conceptions into reality.
How Mariano Got Into Business With Us
Well, where do we start? I guess 26 years ago.
At the turn of the century, Mariano was working for our friends and vendors, JJ and Rosario Alvarez, who ran the bustling blown-glass factory in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Mariano wanted to come to the States and, as he was such a beloved employee, JJ secured a visa for him and sent him to work with us (the glass factory had far bigger clients, but they determined we would be the most likely to be hospitable). When he first arrived, he stayed with us in our little log cabin on Lookout Mountain. At the time, Pete was not quite 2, and Stella was weeks from being born. On top of that, we had recently welcomed a live-in nanny, also from San Miguel, named Angela Hernandez (whom baby Pete quickly rebranded as “Lala”). As you might imagine, our cozy cabin was extra tight for a while there.
Although Lala and Mariano were both from the same small town, they had never met. Their first encounter, oddly enough, was in our home after independently immigrating to a novel life in an unfamiliar land. Lo and behold, they fell in love.
Mariano and Lala ended up staying with us for eight years, albeit not all under the same roof. During that time, Mariano became the warehouse manager of Stray Dog Designs and an incredibly vital part of the company. Eventually, Mariano and Lala got married and welcomed their first child, Mariana Stella Perez. Shortly afterwards, they decided it was time to move back to San Miguel de Allende to raise their family in their charming hometown.
Coincidentally, Guadalupe Alvarez (sister of the aforementioned JJ) was launching a new and exciting enterprise and offered to sell her lively tin workshop to Billy and Jane. The timing could not have been any better. A San Miguel-based manufacturing arm to Stray Dog was an enticing opportunity, and the ideal business partner happened to be headed that way.
And that is how the next chapter began.
For the past 17 years, Mariano has been running the manufacturing operations at Stray Dog Designs in San Miguel de Allende. Today, he oversees the incredible team of artisans and makers who bring Jane’s designs to life, making sure that every piece gets the attention, craftsmanship, and personality that makes it a Stray Dog.
As you can see, there is a lot of love, family, and slightly confusing connections woven into the Stray Dog story. We certainly don’t want to overwhelm all of you wonderful people who stick around and appreciate our little corner of the world, but we did want to introduce you to one of the quiet forces behind it all.
And we will next be introducing you to Marino and Lala’s eldest daughter who recently lived with us for her sophomore year of high school. Very full circle as you might imagine. Stay tuned.
