Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Long.
Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey to becoming the owner of Pet Project LA has been the result of a series of serendipitous events. About a week after arriving in LA with only my eight-month-old puppy and a place to sleep, I was really close to giving up.
But, because of the right search words and my zip code, I saw a craigslist ad for a pet boutique hiring just a block away from my apartment. Fast forward just over a year and a half, and I was given the opportunity to take over ownership from the previous owners in November of 2017.
Over the past half year, I have been in awe of all the amazing people and their pets that make up DTLA and the overwhelming support they have given me. I now understand the word community like never before.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The business side of things, and by that I mean the day-to-day operation of the store, has been about as smooth as retail can be.
However, the more administrative tasks, and by that, I mean dealing with the alphabet soup of government agencies, forms, and filings has been a big, fat learning curve. All I can say is that my degree in social work did not prepare me for this career path.
Please tell us about Pet Project LA.
I like to tell people that we are the alternative pet store in DTLA. We’re goofy, we’re fun, we care about the community that has built us, but most of all, we want to provide the fur babies down here with the best products that make their lives richer and fuller. At the heart of it all, we establish connections with people, pets, and the products that will make their experience on Earth better.
Also, I really do think the sense of community at Pet Project LA is a very special thing. Our customers are truly remarkable and genuine people. I could see myself eating dinner and drinking wine at pretty much all of their houses, which is a significant statement, I think.
And last but not least, I am constantly curating our products to further support the LA community as a whole. I am on the hunt at all times for new and wonderful products the makers in LA are offering the pet world.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My most relevant memory from my childhood, which also happens to be a fave, would have to be me stealing my dog Tuffy’s kibble when I was around four years old. I was pretending to be a dog and took my diet very seriously. I definitely got in trouble for it– I don’t even want to imagine what was in the food she was eating.
Contact Info:
- Address: 548 S. Spring St. Ste. 107 Los Angeles, CA 90013
- Website: petprojectla.com
- Phone: 213-688-7752
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/petprojectla
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/petprojectla
Image Credit:
Silvia Cincotta, Efa Ferrer, Silvia Cincotta
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
