Photo: QueensPost
Jan. 4, 2013 By Bill Parry
A new pet store—called Wespawpets– will open next week at the location of the old OTB at 44-05 Queens Blvd.
The owner of the store, Sam Abdrabouh, described his business as a Mom & Pop shop that will sell pet food, accessories and nutritional supplies.
Wespawpets’ focus will be on selling quality food for cats and dogs. “Nutritional and holistic food, not the unhealthy brands they sell in supermarkets,” Abdrabouh said. “We’ll also feature raw food … We’ll be the only one in the neighborhood. Until now pet owners had to go to Whiskers in Astoria for that.”
Abdrabouh is a licensed pharmacist with a passion for animals. Therefore, he said, he would not sell pets. “That goes against my ethics,” he said, “I’ll leave that part to other businesses.”
The new store will also try to cater to customer requests. “If there’s something people want that we don’t stock, we’ll listen… there’s a lot of space here,” he said.
Sunnyside first came to Abdrabouh’s attention after he read an article in New York Magazine that ranked this area the third most livable neighborhood in the city (April 2010 issue). “He [Nate Silver, the author] called this a hidden gem,” Abdrabouh said. “I had to come and see it for myself.”
He took a walk from Greenpoint Ave. to Skillman Ave. He said he noticed the diversity of the residents and the number of pet owners. “I came into the area and was mesmerized. I fell in love.”
53 Comments
What a great, clean and refreshing store. The manger and staff were very professional. All the best!!
Great place..just went there and what a welcomed change. Pet lovers go there and support the gem of a store. The owner Sam is awesome and the staff is great. One great surprise is that they deliver which in this cold weather is a gift. Support this neighborhood gem.
Thanks for posting that link TheFeralLady. I posted it too last month and signed it myself!! Let’s keep it going and shut that horror shop down!
I stopped by there today and they said they will open tomorrow. That place is beautiful and they have everything you need. I saw some prices and they are very reasonable. I cant wait!
Hey guys! Hope you’re all having a great day. I’m glad to hear there is excitement for us to open up! lol Hopefully (we’re shooting for Feb 1st) though we might have a soft opening before hand. Also, we’ll be doing deliveries at your convenience. To give you an idea of what foods we’ll be carrying: Abady, Orijen, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance, Innova, Evo, Health Extensions, Fromms, Merrick, Wellness, Weruva, Dr.Harvey’s, Hills Science Diety, Eukanuba, Iams, B.F.F., and much more. Also right up front we’ll have plenty of doggie poop bags! Haha we’re definitely hoping more people will utilize them! Though the store’s design is pretty snazzy looking, I hope you’ll all appreciate that the staff is far from bourgeoisie. We love animals and even more so, we love to help pet owners! It’s definitely been a journey from start to (almost) finish and we’re really excited to hear more about what you want, what you look for, and evolve into a staple in the community. I believe everyone who comes in will be pleasantly surprised. I personally can’t wait… lol I’m super excited. Hopefully I’ll see you all soon!
Residents are outraged of the hellhole that is Pets Unlimited. Please shop elsewhere and don’t support this suffering and cruelty he inflicts on the animals there!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/shutdown-pets-unlimited-in-sunnyside-queens-ny/
I think i’m going to get a little doggie. Oooooooooooooh
I agree. We should be trying to get our pooches to pee as close to the curb as possible. I will never drag my dog between two parked cars, don’t trust that someone could be in one and run me/dog over.
One issue is the TRASH that people toss on the street, dogs pee on it, so, one way to avoid pee in the middle of the sidewalk is to properly dispose of your garbage. There is a heck of a lot more garbage tossed on our sidewalks than there is poo. We shouldn’t have either.
Clean up after your dog, throw your garbage in a can.
Simple, but, yet people are LAZY.
RD
Ok all you hipsters and newbies to the hood, where did you get your dog walking manners? You should walk your animals to the gutter and let them deficate and urinate there. Of course I know the male dogs will go to trees & posts to urinate, this is expected. Most of you nowadays just let them do there business right in the middle od the street. Thats disguisting!! Have some respect for the rest of us who use these streets!
@ OM and O’Shea
I forgive you. It’s not your fault you’re sad, lonely, and pathetic. Or maybe it is…
This is a REAL nice sign man!!! I see they didn use my friennd Cuban Eddie who will make you any sign for 35 bucks, these fellas paid at least 75!
I sense we getting a fine store, I may get myself a dog just so i can stroll into ths fine establissment wearing my finest merlot wool seersucker to th grand openiing… Good luck fellas, welcome to the neigghbohood!
GS
The more you pay attention to the trolls the more they post. Ignore them and see how their patterns of posting change. You are feeding them material, people…
Regarding a new pet store, hey, why not? There are far more dogs in our ‘hood than when I first got here in ’99. Any competition to force that abomination of a pet store on 46th st to change its business ‘practices’, or perhaps, go under, is fine by me.
That place is a blight on the neighborhood. I have heard far too many horror stories about that place over the years, same goes for the ‘vet’ on Greenpoint, nearby and I think there is a ‘connection’ between the pet store and the vet.
RD
@OM
Now you’re just being an obnoxious attention-seeking jerk.
You don’t like dogs, fine. Don’t get one.
You don’t like the Catholic Church, that’s your business. Nobody is forcing you to attend mass.
I’m pleased to report that my parakeet is regular again thanks to Fr Dowd. Flossie has been constipated for several days, so this morning I took her with me to Sunday Mass. The good Father said prayers and blessed Flossie, and now all is flowing smoothly.
I hope they sell bird food that you scoop out of the bin and buy by the pound like they do at Petland Discounts. That would save me a trip down to Northern Blvd.
We may have a lot of petstores, but we also have a lot of vacant storefronts. I’m not sure why people are complaining about the business.
i hope he sells pooper scoopers because apparently there are a shortage of those in Sunnyside.
Oh no, a fr dowd groupie.
Pet store and religion? Really?
Mental illness: getting together to worship a man in the sky. The skyman heals the pets of the people who worship him. Such pifle.
Men/ people of god: child molestors, crusaders, slavery legitimizers, poverty augmenters, agents of colonization and current advocates of the world over population epidemic.
Stop speaking ill of Fr. Dowd. He is a wonderful man who doesn’t claim to heal anything or anyone. He blesses in God’s name, as all priests do. If you don’t believe in that fine, but don’t speak I’ll of a man of God. He won the Sunnysider of the year award for goodness sake. There’s no one in this neighborhood, Catholic, Jewish, Arab, or otherwise who doesn’t adore him. I was at the ceremony and people of all backgrounds sang his praises. Please don’t be so cruel and close-minded.
Ok all you hipsters, I just spoke to the owner and he says he WILL stock the latest in hipster natural organic grass fed pet food at 1/2 the cost of anything in the tri-state area, GUARANTEED!!!!
You damn “Groupon” penny-pinching hipsters- would you guys give the damn guy a break already and quit looking save pennies even before the paint is on the walls!? Let the people run their business so they can make a profit.
I’d like to put in a request for Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck Formula Limited Ingredients Cat Food at a price equal to Petco, please. I’d love a local place to buy it at a reasonable price. Good luck to you.
Sunnysidelandia – a wondeful idea! And they can go back to years ago when the dog owners and cat owners were fighting it out with the 108th Precinct in the middle. And you want to know why our police captains don’t last?
I think it’s a nice idea. The population of Sunnyside is changing with the higher rents, there’s a market for organic and raw pet food now. I’d rather a pet supply store with quality products open than another pawn shop or nail salon. I wish him well.
@Sunnyside Native thank you, I did not know that about Skillman Pets selling Blue buffalo. I will have to take a look but now if this new store sells BB it’ll be even closer to my house. Thanks again!
The Real Ruben is not Ruben. Ruben is funny & entertaining and takes pictures of the bum pooping under the El. An actual problem that we have in this neigborhood. Now that homeless man, along with most others, is mentally ill. Anyway…there are more and more dogs being added to this neighborhood. Three new puppies this week alone! I don’t shop at Pets Ulimited on 46th Street. For a long time our only option was Super Doggy Wonder Kitty. Then Skillman Pets opened and they have a really great selction of dog food, toys and other items. Plus the owner John is super nice. If there is something you want that he doesn’t carry, he will try and get it for you. It will be interesting to see what this new pet store has to offer, but the property taxes on Queens Blvd. are so expensive, I hope they can make it work!
so we can safely assume that nothing cool will open up in this neighborhood, then, right?
Thanks you guys, these comments are sheer unintended comedy. I can’t stop laughing at TheRealRuben’s comment. Nice work bro. Once again, it’s amazing to see what these seemingly benign Post articles get turned into in the comments section. You guys know there’s a world out there, yes?
Enough with the bum comments! Either do something about it or shut up!
Ruben, you are hurtin for a squirtin from your bff the bum! Youre obsessed, give it a rest!
That priest should up his ante and start curing humans, as well. Especially ones with the squirts! Hell I’d go to him any day. You think it’s easy squirtin on Queens Blvd. in this cold? We’re talkin horizontal brown icicles here, people.
I need that priest ASAP!
Sunnysidelandia would be a fucking comedy hit.
Sunnyside Native – You call Oppressed Masses sad when you’re in a bar complaining about someone ONLINE???? wahahahaha
AND…you actually believe a priest healed a DOG? God..took time out from curing babies with cancer to fix an animal. That belief is so absurd that it makes ALL your negative opinions of others invalid.
I’m so excited for a pet store that will have natural pet foods that aren’t filled with grain and chemicals. I too hope he carries Orijen for cats too as well as other natural foods like Nature’s Logic. And don’t forget organic/chemical free treat and toys! I have to buy all my cat supplies on Wag.com because it’s good quality, free delivery, and cheap. But, I’m all for supporting local businesses especially when they are down the block. Best of luck!!
Maybe this one’ll offer sometheen different from the other 8 in the neighborhood…. I hope its taxidermy. I don’t have a pet but I like the idea of preserving a once living creature in a pose of my choice for eternity.
If it was me I’d want someone to set me up like I was throwin a discuss in the Olympics. Yeah, thats G-D legend!!!! DAMN-STRAIGHT!!!!!!
GS
Raw food–particularly for cats–is the way to go (and it ain’t horsemeat!). I love Whiskers; but, it will be nice to have an option much closer to home. Good luck, Mr. Abdrabouh! Look forward to meeting you.
Someone should create a sketch comedy show about Sunnysidelandia. There could be bits about the pets, the nail salons, the pharmacies, the Dollar Stores, schools, churches, dance clubs, pubs, the trolling posters here, and on and on. You can’t make this stuff up.
Looking forward to comments on the next headline, “New Bodega/Spa/Pawn Shop/Massage Parlor Opens.”
This guy had an epiphany on his walk thru Greenpoint and Sunnyside from all the dog sh$t he stepped on, that is a big space to warehouse per food. Must be a money laundering place like OTB. Most people but online from stores and cut the huge overhead. Good luck guy, but save your pension money, and him being a pharmacist has nothing to do with pet food or nutrition. Up dog, ask me what that is?
In Sunnyside, the subject of pets is as sensitive as politics and religion, it seems.
It was quite a collective crowd of guys & gals that was talking about some of the crazies who post on this website. If you want me to bring some girls for ya, I can do that. Hence my comment about needing a companion. Please wear your I heart dogs T-shirt so we can identify you when you walk in. I am sure you are a barrel of laughs. I just wouldn’t stand in front of you on the subway platform when our beloved 7 train comes rolling into the station…
My Native friend, why the vitriol? I only asked questions, made a suggestion to Mr. Adbradouh regarding a pet product as he requested in the news story and let him know about the curative powers of Fr. Dowd since Mr. Adbradouh is new to the neighborhood. Please let me know when you and the other girls get together and at which watering hole so I can show you what a fun person I really am! By the way, I agree, Blue Buffalo is the best, much better than Pink Buffalo or Green Buffalo.
I think Sunnyside could use another pet store. That space is pretty big and should be interesting since all the other neighborhood stores are relatively small. The fact that he’s a pharmacist is pretty awesome. Hopefully people will finally stop patronizing the smelly spot on 46th that should’ve been shut down a long time ago.
PLEASE PLEASE CARRY ORIJEN DOG FOOD! It is the best in the market!!
Oppressed Masses – you are an A-hole. Plain & simple. Your name on got brought up in a one of our local watering holes recently and we were all talking about what sad person you seem to be. Your comments are very negative and always seem to be so pessimistic. My puppy was sick and in conjunction with top of the line medical treatment, Father Dowd blessed him before the noon mass and this was a turning point for him when he started to get better. I know what the power of prayer and blessings can do for a human being, and now I can see what it does for a dog. A dog. One of of God’s creatures. I know Father Dowd agrees and he is a wonderful man of the cloth. I hope your life picks up for you in 2013, because clearly 2012 sucked for you. Find yourself a nice companion. Human or canine and maybe I’ll see you at the S.U.D.S. dog run in Lou Lodati Park! 🙂
@ M – Skillman Pets sell Blue Buffalo. That is the dry food we give our dogs. Other than that, our dogs eat an actual chicken, carrots and peas concoction. Wholesome food. The owner John at Skillman Pets is a great guy too. The store on 46th Street is called Pets Unlimited and while growing up here, at least one other pet store that opened up was run out of business due to the distributors being threatened and then wouldn’t sell to the new pet stores. Then when Super Doggy Wonder Kitty opened up on Greenpoint Avenue, she was run out of that location over to 43rd Street, off of 43rd Avenue. Steve from Pets Unlimited has a lot of ‘pull’. I wonder why. Hmm…
Dogs don’t need healthy food. They eat their own vomit and feces. They are filthy animals and scavengers.
What exactly is “holistic” pet food? And “raw food” for pets? Is he talking about uncooked horse meat? Mr. Adbradouh can help maintain the luster of our fine neigborhood if he were to stock doggie diapers to fit every size dog and strongly encourage patrons to make use of same. If you happen to read this Mr. Adbradouh, you may want to let you customers know that the priest in the Catholic Church two blocks away on Skillman Ave is reported to have performed Fatima like miracle cures on ailing pups.
Sunnyside and Woodside have no creativeness. They all copy each other. Its nuts!
The pet store on Skillman Avenue doesn’t suck. They also sell organic food. They do a good job grooming and are reasonable.
You have got to be kidding me. You say they sell crap food in supermarkets, well the supposed better brands get tainted ingredients from China. Which kill our pets and are sold at these type of stores.
@Know_where_to_run — That place is a dump on 46th street and should have been closed down a long, long time ago. He sells sick animals!
The pet shop on 46st would probably make a lot more money if they just cleaned the place up.
I refuse to shop there simply because the parakeets outside are crammed into cages and they don’t even bother to give them some bird toys to play with.
Appalling.
Damn pets eat better than some people .
Good luck! I hope you guys will sell Blue Buffalo dog food at a reasonable price so I don’t have to go all the way to Petco in Long Island or order my dog’s food online.
Yes Webley…and they alllll suck.
Isn’t there already like 5 pet supply stores in sunnyside?