Though she describes herself as somewhat shy, Lorie Loftis is easy to spot in a crowded room. She’s the attractive blonde dynamo who always seems to be smiling.
She was born in Beaverton, Ore., to a family with various local businesses; Beaverton Foods was the biggest, and she eventually joined the business.
Since Loftis’ aunt lived in the Coachella Valley, her mother, animal advocate Lindi Biggi, decided to look for a condo here after retiring, so she could visit during the winter months. Biggi had already started collecting birds—so instead of a condo, she found a two-acre estate.
“She went back to Oregon and told her husband, Geno, that she’d found the perfect spot for them, which would accommodate her birds,” Loftis said. “They came down here and really never left.”
Loftis started coming to the valley herself, while still keeping tabs on the businesses in Oregon.
In 2008, the family was devastated when Loftis’ teenage daughter was killed in a car crash.
“There was a lot of grief that needed to be channeled into something else,” Loftis said. “My mom had been volunteering with Animal Samaritans, helping to organize fundraisers. It’s a terrific organization, but mom did not have any say in what they did with the money raised, so she founded Loving All Animals.”
For a few years, Loftis came down during the busy season to help her mom with events; in 2011, she moved here full-time.
“I joined Janet McAfee, and we called ourselves the ‘Rescue Rangers,’” Loftis said. “Some people were afraid to take dogs and cats to local shelters because of the sometimes-less-than-ideal conditions there. We had a limousine and would take the dogs to nicer neighborhoods and homes. We also did tours to educate people—to show them what a public versus nonprofit shelter looks like, what the Palm Springs ‘no kill’ shelter looks like, etc. The goal was to make people understand the whole ecosystem of animal rescue, and to make rescuing animals sexy.”
Loftis was very involved when Biggi opened Venus de Fido, a luxury spa for both pets and their owners. Unfortunately, the business was not financially successful.
“It’s gotten to the point where you need to be wealthy to own a pet, and that’s just a sin.”
Lorie Loftis
“I think in the right place and time, it would have been super-successful,” Loftis said. “I knew all of these local businesses that we were hoping to have under one roof. But unfortunately, it took about four years for us to build the project, so some of the excitement dwindled a bit, and I had to let them go and pursue their businesses elsewhere. We ended up running most of it. It turned out that many of the pet owners we knew already had aestheticians and spas on site at their gated communities, etc., and they didn’t want beauty treatments at the same place their dogs got groomed.”
When COVID-19 hit, Loftis and Biggi decided the project was too much of a battle.
Loftis is now the co-owner of the Shadow Mountain Golf Course. Designed by Gene Sarazen, it was the first golf course in Palm Desert, founded in 1958.
“It had live music every night, and was the gathering spot at the time,” Loftis said. “Many stars like Bing Crosby hung out there, but they didn’t want too many other people to know about it. It’s always been a private club, but it had fallen into disrepair, and there were rumors it was going to be sold to make way for low-income housing. Mom was a member there and didn’t want to see that happen, so she and I took it over five years ago. We wanted to keep that sense of community, which we need in south Palm Desert.”
Loftis, who does have some hospitality experience, was concerned her mother might have bitten off more than she could chew.
“She’s a very passionate woman, and sometimes that passion can override common sense when it comes to business,” Loftis said.
Using the old A.J.’s on the Green in Cathedral City as a model, Loftis thought about creating a popular live music spot in the bar at Shadow Mountain.
“None of the houses around the golf course pay an HOA fee, which is a huge part of the business plan for a golf course to be able to carry itself, so there was a need for a second income stream to be able to serve the community,” Loftis said. “The music helps fill that need. Only about 37 percent of the community actually golfs, but there are lots of other things to do. You can bring your kids, your grandma; you can hang out in the beautiful pavilion, play cornhole or bocce ball, or watch sports on the big screen, etc. There are poker nights and trivia nights, and it’s also a great place to hold fundraisers for Loving All Animals. I’m not just selling golf; I’m selling the experience.”
Loftis is planning to offer VIP community memberships, which will help to pay the musicians who hold a jazz jam in Shadow Mountain’s Birdy Bar each Wednesday. Those VIP members will get a say in what kinds of programs are offered in the future. Loftis also plans to hire golf pros next year.
Loving All Animals is still going strong, and is continuing its mission of controlling the animal population by spaying and neutering dogs and cats.
“My mom just purchased the old VCA vet clinic on Jefferson (Street) and Highway 111, so Loving All Animals will be taking it over. They will offer free or low-cost spay and neutering services, which will really help the community, especially seniors. It’s gotten to the point where you need to be wealthy to own a pet, and that’s just a sin.”
A lifelong music lover, Loftis is herself an amateur singer.
“I sing, but I’m humble about it,” she said. “With all the great talent around here, I don’t shove myself into the spotlight. But if I had a little bit more time, I would probably sing more. I also love to travel. My son’s still in Oregon with his kids. … I’d love to spend more time with them.”
What’s the code Loftis lives by?
“The Golden Rule—period,” she said. “But also: Let the past be in the past. And anything can be solved with a little bit of love.”
Bonnie Gilgallon has written theater reviews for the Independent since 2013. She hosts a digital interview show, The Desert Scene, which can be heard on www.thedesertscene.com and viewed on Mutual Broadcasting’s YouTube channel. Learn more at bonnie-g.com.
