Sam Abdrabouh, the owner of Wespawpets (Photo: QueensPost)
Feb, 5, 2013 By Bill Parry
A large pet store opened on Queens Blvd. this weekend that offers pet food and a vast range of supplies.
Wespawpets, located at 44-05 Queens Blvd. (the former location of an OTB), sells items such as doggie health food, beds, coats, leashes and a full array of toys. The store is even stocked with pet-related greeting cards.
“I’m ecstatic,” said the Sam Abdrabouh, the owner, shortly after the store opened. “People have been very welcoming, telling us that they have wanted a store like this in the neighborhood for a while.”
Abdrabouh said customers have been particularly impressed by the size of the store. “There’s plenty of room here– dogs are welcome too,” he said, adding “Take them off the leash and let them have the run of the aisles.”
The store is also focusing heavily on delivering food/supplies for free. In the future, Abdrabouh said he will offer pet grooming.
At the moment, Wespawpets recommends other stores for grooming. “I suggest for the time being, they go to Canine Club, Skillman Pets or Super Dog Wonder Kitty, they are all good, wonderful places,” Abdrabough said.
Tony Tifre, a staff member, took a moment away from the counter to greet a couple of dogs in front of the store, handing out free treats. “I’m from Canarsie, Brooklyn,” said Tifre. “This neighborhood is a breath of fresh air. I already love working here.”
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32 Comments
I have an elderly cat and finding food for senior cats is nearly impossible in Sunnyside. I hope this place will stock what I need. I love dogs, but there seems to be a lack of cat supplies in general around here.
@ SuperWittySmitty – I own a house in Sunnyside Gardens and I can see from my window dog owners pick up after their dogs ALL THE TIME. In fact, I have NEVER seen an owner let their dog take a dump, and NOT pick it up. That includes when I am looking out my window and when they don’t even realize that I am watching. Clearly, there are some dog owners who are the ‘bad apples’, but I personally believe they are in the minority. I don’t like seeing the poop on the street, but there are other sidewalk nuisances to deal with, not just dog feces. This neighborhood has more and more dog owners moving into it and more landlords are subletting to dog owners, which is nice for the owners who own dogs. The realtors and landlords needed to accommodate the demand, and the demand being requested in this neighborhood, was more dog friendly apartments. A couple more buildings have even converted to now being dog friendly buildings. Soon the dog run will be open and maybe there will be less poop on the sidewalks. Being anti-dog poop is one thing. Being anti-dog is another. Back to the topic of this forum, I liked this new pet store. Nice employees. Clean store. Products are great and might be $1/$2 more than I am already paying. The owner seems like a nice guy, but Roxy above is right in that the rent is probably quite expensive. Sam needs to cover ALL bases in that location: making a buck, while keeping the customers happy. Good Luck, Sam!
So glad to see you opened in Sunnyside and are not selling animals like that filthy store pets unlimited. The store is really dirty and smells. We protested out there for the large amount of puppy mill dogs he is selling in the store and on line. Best of luck in your new endeavor.
Thank you for being humane and not selling puppies. Congrats and good luck!
Thank you for not selling animals like the other store, the filthy one on 46th street, i know that 99 percent of puppies are from puppy mills, for those that don’t know google puppy mills. Go to a breed specific rescue instead. Thank you for having a clean beautiful humane store.
Awesome Store, Congrats! I agree, your store is clean and beautiful! The store on 46th street should go humane or shut down, everyone knows that 99 percent of puppies come from disgusting puppy mills, and that guy’s store is disgusting with all sorts of animals that are kept in filthy conditions, I think he even sells the dogs online. Please, if you want a dog, adopt from a breed specific rescue or petfinder.org or a shelter. Goodl luck with your store, and thank you for not selling animals (-:
Looking forward to stopping by soon! So happy they don’t sell puppies… would never set foot in that horrid store on 46th Street!
90% of dog owners clean up after their dogs? Have we really reached such a level of compliance?? Really?? Not in my neighborhood.
I think small dogs can manage apartment life, to an extents, but dogs are animals that, genetically, are supposed to be running around (ideally in a hierarchical pack) exploring, etc. If you are home all day and need a companion, I think a dog is a nice idea, especially if you understand the responsibility that is involved, but to leave one alone all day…
Too many dogs are bought as accessories, cooped up and left alone for hours (I think dog hours are similar to dog years…) with little or no social interaction with other dogs. That joy they’re expressing when you come home and give them that 10 minute walk isn’t really joy but relief from loneliness and boredom.
No, dog crap all over the place is not “part of living in the city” it’s more of living with people who are selfish and irresponsible, and these folks are everywhere.
Easily 90% of the people pick up after their dogs, it’s the rest that give us a bad name. There is plenty of trash thrown all over the sidewalk by people who don’t have dogs, how about you go after them and we’ll try and get the miscreants who don’t pick up after their pets? Clean SunnysideWALKS!
I am woken up by car alarms, screaming children, people playing their car stereos too loudly, their TV’s/apt stereos, honking cars, the list of city noises is endless. It’s part of living in a city. They call them APARTments, but, they are not ‘apart’ in any way. It’s the price we pay. I’d never live in a bldg that didn’t allow pets, too uppity for my tastes.
RD
Large and impressive store, but prices too high for my budget. The cat food that I buy at another Sunnyside pet store was 20 cents per can higher here. And a national brand of cat litter was $3 more than at Associated. I’ve heard that the store rent is around $8,000 per month, so I guess customers can’t expect reasonable prices. Besides the owner at the cash register, there were two (maybe three) employees on the floor.
I didn’t purchase anything, but wished them luck. They’ll need it!
Darn, my boyfriend and his wife and dogs just moved from Sunnyside, he would have liked this store!
Hey Mr. Murphy, I’m not anti-dog, my problem is with the owners. I am awoken at 6 am almost daily by a dog who barks loudly in the hallways of our buildings. Puddles and piles of dog waste are ubiquitous- I know many people clean up after their dogs but plenty of them do not. “Curb Your Dog” means not on the sidewalk where we walk but near the edge. Many dog owners act as if there is no controlling these animals, they allow their pets to go wherever they happen to be standing at that moment.
These “tools” are the reason so many buildings forbid dogs, and why so many of your neighbors have negative feelings about your pets. Focus on the “tools” and try to understand when the rest of us are coming from.
It makes plenty of sense OM. We’re trying to pool $ together to get you a valentines gift, and what’s wrong with some grooming? Why are my comments offensive and yours not?
RD
I was in the store earlier today. Cool assorted inventory, friendly & helpful staff and I met the owner Sam, who is a very nice man. I am glad to give him my business. Whoever is anti-dog is a tool. Just sayin.
This is great! I can’t wait to visit this new store! I will bring one or both of our dogs very soon! Our one dog will certainly love to run around the aisles, until we have the new S.U.D.S. Dog Run up and running! Pun intended. Despite Oppressed Masses stale comments and negative, anti-dog rhetoric, IF somebody does want to purchase a religious pet medal, they are sold at Celtic Tiger Imports on Grand Avenue in Maspeth. I am so happy that OM is so concerned over the well being of our dogs, to suggest pet medals. How if we can only find a Kind Human Being To ALL medal for OM, that would be great! I don’t get the sense that Wespawpets will sell such items, as it sounds like they are more focused on wholistic food – which I think is great. Our dogs are already on a sound, healthy diet. Good Luck, Mr. Abdrabouh!
Rick, your comment doesn’t make any sense and probably should be deleted per the new posting standards.
I saw we chip in and get OM a Valentine’s Day treat! Maybe a grooming gift certificate?
RD
I’m curious how they came up with the name of the store.
Did anyone else think the name was a typo? Interesting.
I wonder if they sell rabbit food. I need Peter’s Pellets and Timothy Hay.
Do they have rosary beads or religious medals for dogs? How about Valentine treats for doggies and their owners?
@Mark Open til 8 weekdays, 7 Saturday , 6 Sunday (asked owner over the weekend)
Great place (raw food coming soon!).
Agree with 7 train – The store on 46th under the arch is such a sad sight (in the back are numerous puppies/dogs in small cages). . . how are they still in business? Who could endorse such conditions by shopping there?
In any event, this new store looks wonderful! Congrats to the owner!
While I’ve shopped at SuperDoggy/WonderKitty (they do wonderful grooming)- I look forward to “sharing the wealth” and shopping here too!
Congratulations and wish you lots of success. Looking forward to stopping by with my dog.
Went in over the weekend and they were great! The store is so clean has a great selection. The staff was super friendly and helpful. What’s nice addition to the neighborhood!
Went in last night. It is a lovely, clean store with very friendly staff. They even have Natural Balance LTD ingredient pet food! No more lugging it back from Petco. Hope they do well.
This place is a beauty and the staff is wonderful!!!! I am so thankful they chose to come to Sunnyside. Everyone should definitely check them out. And THEY DELIVER!!!! That’s the icing on the cake.
Perfect timing. I need to get some more supplies. Anyone know how late they’re open in the evenings?
I was in there this weekend — excellent customer service and a fun selection! We got “Cosmic CatNip Bubbles”
Agreed, 7Train–it’s a REALLY nice store. I was in there this weekend and the owner is super nice. They have lots of healthy pet food and they don’t SELL ANIMALS! =D
Sure looks a whole lot cleaner and healthier than that filthy hole they call a pet store on 46th by the arch, the one where they cram parakeets into a cage like sardines.