The story begins in December 2021, when I ordered a bee happy mug from a large online kitchenwares store and they sent me donut disturb instead.
I have a small child: what was I supposed to do with a sentiment like that?!
Attempts to exchange the mug for the correct design were fruitless, although I was refunded the cost of the mug: clearly official policy for getting rid of unwanted annoying customers who complain about puns.
I was up one free incorrect pun mug, but my anger increased whenever I looked at the thing. I hated that something as pure as wordplay could have become merely a commodity in the claws of this gigantic capitalist machine, one pun as interchangeable as another even though this could not be further from the truth.
I decided to take action. I gifted the offending mug to my wife, and got to work. I would design my own range of cute mugs and other merchandise—many of which would feature puns.
It would take a while. But if I sold enough mugs, I could grow my business until it was as big as the faceless one that had refused to give me pun satisfaction.
Then, that business would have a face. I would be powerful enough to meet the owner(s)... and to make sure the displeasure I felt at not receiving the correct pun mug fell at the feet of the deserving rich bastards who profited from such a system.
At that point, I would be one of those same rich bastards myself. But at least I would be one who cared the proper amount about puns.
At Choubachi, it will always matter that you receive the exact pun that suits your character and current stage of life. That is the level of customer service I commit to. If I ever grow my business to the point where I lose sight of this fact, I invite you to return my attention to this heartfelt origin story.
<3 Kami