Pet Project: Leaving Their Paw Print on Spring Street

Committing to being a pet parent is one of the greatest things a person can do in our opinion, but at times it can be just as stressful as being a parent to a child. Okay, maybe not, but everything’s relative right? Seriously though, much like raising a child, you have to make sure they’re eating the right food, that they’re safe—and perhaps most importantly—you have to love the ever-loving snot out of them. You want the best for your fur-baby, but it can be mighty tough to own a pet in an urban jungle. Cats and small dogs are easy for the most part, but you’re typically not going to see someone walking a great dane down Broadway. We digress, but the bottom line is that we all want to treat our pets to the best we can. In the case of large chain pet supply retailers out there, the experience can be overwhelming in abundance of products, yet underwhelming when it comes to customer service. No need to fret, pet parents, a beloved DTLA pet boutique is here to answer all of your puppy prayers.

Pet Project originally opened its doors in the historic core in 2010 with owner Nancy-Jean Carlson at the helm. Pet Project started out as delivery only; you would often see Nancy-Jean lugging bags of dog food to her customers with a smile on her face. The original storefront opened off of Main in between 5th and 6th Streets. After two years, the brick and mortar was passed on to new owners, and during this ownership, Rachel was hired and quickly became their best employee. Rachel arrived in LA with not much more than her puppy and needed a job ASAP. During her search, she found an ad for a pet boutique that was hiring a block away from her apartment and leapt at the opportunity. Rachel was hired, later becoming manager, and just two months after that she was given an offer she absolutely could not pass up: becoming the third owner in 2017.

“The previous owners just wanted to retire and move on to being full-time grandparents so they made me an incredible offer and I went for it,” says Rachel. “It feels good. It's been an incredible learning experience and lots of fun.”

The success of the store moved it from its original location to a larger space around the corner, where it thrives today, off of Spring in between 5th and 6th Streets. Pet Project was already flourishing when Rachel took over, and she knew the ropes, so it was a piece of cake for her to keep the wheel turning once she was in charge. Carrying a hand-picked selection of pet food ranging from organic to grain-free, raw and freeze dried foods for cats, dogs, and smaller animals such as guinea pigs, Pet Project carries a conscious selection that you can trust to feed to your fur-baby.

“When it comes to the food we carry, I’ve done a lot of research and found brands that I really like. A lot of the clothing, accessories, and smaller toy brands I've mostly found on Instagram, so there are a lot of cute smaller brands that I think would do really well here in downtown.”

On the toy and apparel side, all sorts of fluffy, squeaky, polka dotted goodies await you from brands like California-based Oré Originals, Wag City, and Australian pet apparel company Pablo & Co., who also designs human sized shirts and sweaters so you and your pet can match. It doesn’t just stop at novelties (we’re talking luxury carriers, harnesses, beds, you name it), but what makes Pet Project so special, aside from their products, is their impeccable product knowledge and uber-personal customer service. Rachel and the rest of their small team are always eager and smiling, ready to assist you in finding what works best for you and your pet.

If you’re in need of a new way to pamper your pup and you’re tired of trotting in under fluorescent lights to stare at a wall of dog food and overpriced toys at your usual retailer, give Rachel a visit down at Pet Project and let your furry best friend pick out a new sweater. If that’s not enough to make your pup an Instagram account, we don’t know what is.

petprojectla.com | 528 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Written by Dakota Nate | Photography by Robiee Ziegler