This weekend, Healthy Spot pet stores will open their newest location at 6063 Melrose Avenue on Saturday, December 9th. Loaded with lots of puns and fun, the grand opening “pawty,” as they are calling it, will feature special pet-themed treats for pets and their owners from 12-3 p.m., including gift bags for the first 100 customers, and a special bandana for the first 100 pups.
HealthySpot was founded by Andrew Kim and Mark Boonnark after the pet food recall in 2007, when Menu Foods’ products (sold under dozens of labels including some of the biggest names in pet food) were linked to a number of pet deaths from kidney failure. The likely cause was melamine-tainted wheat gluten, an ingredient in the pet food obtained from a supplier in China. The Humane Society reported that almost 5,000 dogs and cats died from tainted food.
Inspired to create products that consumers could be confident would be safe for their pets, Kim and Boonnark left their corporate jobs and started Healthy Spot. In a video on their website, they explain they started with food and nutrition and quickly expanded into a range of pet products and services, including grooming and daycare. The Melrose location, known as Healthy Spot Hancock Park is their 12th location.
“One of our core values is that pets are family and it is clear that Hancock Park pet owners feel the same way,” company co-founder Mark Booknark, told the Buzz via email. “We are proud to be part of such a beautiful and historic neighborhood and our track record shows we do well in this kind of vibrant and lively community. We’ve really solidified our presence on the coast and along the Westside of L.A., and we are marching our footprint east so that we can serve the pet communities further inland. Being in Hancock Park gives us the opportunity to reach out to other neighboring districts, such as Larchmont Village, Hollywood, La Brea, Melrose, Fairfax, and the Miracle Mile. We love that these areas are dog-friendly and attract people that are dedicated to providing the best for their pets.”
When we asked about their plans for the local neighborhood/community, Boonnark told us, “Healthy Spot inspires healthy pet lifestyles and we aim to offer Hancock Park pet owners with the education they need to make the best decisions for their dogs and cats. We are committed to providing, even the most discerning pet owners, with a full range of wholesome, organic food lines as well as a wide selection of safe and eco-friendly toys, treats, training tools, grooming products, and services. We track every pet food recall and stock only the highest quality products. Rest assured, if it’s Healthy Spot approved, it’s safe.”
According to Boonnark, the Hancock Park location is the first in Healthy Spot’s history to have a large outdoor space for hosting events like monthly Yappy Hours, Puppy Play Dates and pet adoptions. LA Love and Leashes will be at the opening for anyone who is interested in adopting a pet.
“We really want to ingrain ourselves in the community, and we feel that Hancock Park is undeserved…so our plan is to team up with local vendors and organizations in hopes to bring the community closer together. Our plan is to hold events on the patio and become a stage for community presence where local pet owners can come together and bond,” said Boonnark.
Previously we reported this space was going to be a restaurant. But many residents opposed the business’s request to serve alcohol until 2 am. The City agreed, granting a permit to operate only until 11 p.m.
“I assume the proposed tenant meant it when they said they couldn’t make it work unless they could stay open until 2 am,” Hancock Park Terrace Apartments resident Kelly Martin, whose group opposed the late hours, told the Buzz. “I think the doggie day care is a much more neighborhood friendly use. Much less traffic.”
Healthy Spot Hancock Park
6063 Melrose Avenue
323-925-7300
Mon-Fri: 8am-8pm
Sat-Sun: 9am-8pm
www.Healthy Spot.com
rsvp at HancockPark.Eventbrite.com
This story was updated correcting the source of the comments from Healthy Spot.
