New Pet Store Opens on Sunset Boulevard

With a promise of a cookie to every dog that walks through the door, Unleashed by Petco is after the hearts of Hollywood pooches in the neighborhood.

The store, which is located at 7288 West Sunset Blvd., opened at the end of September.

At just more than 3,000-square-feet, it is smaller than most Petco stores, and does not sell animals, said general manager Karolyn Cargill.

“It’s kind of the Trader Joe’s of Petco, if you will,” Cargill said. "It’s an awesome idea. It’s the new concept from Petco.”

The store has a boutique-feel and is primarily geared toward cats and dogs with a small animal section that caters to fish, birds, and reptiles. There is pet apparel, and shelves stocked with natural, holistic food for animals.

Cargill, a self-professed “animal lover,” has her own slew of them at home, including a dog, a cat, and a red-bellied parrot.

Cargill hopes to share her expertise with more people in the neighborhood by hosting activities in the store.

“We are super community based, so we’re going to have lots of events,” Cargill said.

Unleashed by Petco is planning an “I Scream” social from noon until 3 p.m. this Saturday. Any dog wearing a costume will receive a free sample of dog frozen yogurt. Cargill is also coordinating a Halloween costume contest to take place on Oct. 22. Pet adoptions are scheduled from noon until 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The store also participated in a Blessing of the Animals at St. Thomas Episcopal Church earlier this month by providing parishioners with store coupons. David Seck, who helped plan the event, said the donation came in handy considering of the 75 participating pets, 60 of them were dogs.

“As far as I know all the gifts, including the coupons were taken,” Seck said. “We are a strong parish that thrives on stewardship, which includes love and care of animals.”

He said he hopes the store will assist the church in the future with its plans to set up a food pantry for homeless members of the community who have pets.

Cargill said serving the community is their No. 1 priority.

“We’re super customer service oriented,” she said. “We have a friendly staff, anything to please the customer.”