Noah’s Natural Pet Market holistic retail and self-serve pet wash in Pacific Beach has been a sanctuary for its animal-loving patrons.
If you don’t believe it, ask any of the customers of the homegrown business at 4431 Cass St., co-owned and operated by pet nutrition experts Liz Oshant and Mary Knight.
“I’ve been a customer for over 10 years now, taking two of my dogs there, because I know, without a doubt, that the products they carry are the best in the market to keep my pets healthy and happy,” said Nita Wang. “Plus, not only are Mary and Liz so welcoming to me and Duncan and Daisy, but the entire staff knows my entire pack and treats them as if they were their own. There is no other place I would go to, and trust me, I go every week (spending over $200) to get the best food and supplements to make sure my pups continuously look spry and active. I love Noah’s and always recommend it to every dog owner I talk to.”
Another satisfied customer, Stacy Ross of Clairemont, who was washing her pooch Bailey on a recent Thursday, concurred.
“These tubs are really awesome,” Ross said, preparing to brush her dog’s teeth in one of the tubs. “The animals enjoy the experience; it’s pleasant.”
Ross said Bailey is too comfortable at home, one of many reasons why she brings him to Noah’s. “He calms down when he comes here,” she said.
“I come here for the food,” said Ross adding, “That’s how I found out about this place.”
“Most dogs like it here,” agreed Knight. “We give them treats. They like the energy in here.”
Noah’s is marking its 15-year anniversary with a party for patrons at the store on Saturday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The celebration will include food and drink, pet food discounts, raffle prizes, vendor samples and dog adoptions.
“All of our vendors have given us baskets for our raffle,” said Oshant.
Knight said Noah’s was originally just a pet wash, half its size now. A year or so ago, Knight and Oshant took their self-serve pet wash to the next level.
“We inherited a pet wash with only a cash register and no products whatsoever,” Knight said, noting, “Liz and I had shared this vision of helping dogs with their health.”
“We have something for everybody here now,” said Oshant, adding, “We’re really picky about what we carry.”
Walking down aisles strewn with all the latest dog food products and accessories — chew toys, dog jerky, leashes and collars, treats, stuffed animals, etc. — Oshant pointed out, “Our focus is nutrition and health here.”
“We’re pet nutrition experts,” said Knight. “Our job here is to help our customers realize the health that their dog can obtain.”
Noah’s owners note they’re on a first-name basis with their patrons — and their pets.
“We can’t go anywhere without running into people we know,” said Knight adding, “We were leading-edge (with nutrition) in the beginning, and now (other) people have jumped on our bandwagon.”
“There are a lot more choices now,” said Oshant of the growing holistic health food industry. “There weren’t hardly any natural food choices back when. Now there are a plethora of raw and freeze-dried dog and cat foods on the market. A new one comes out practically every month.”
“We really have a niche here, this is our niche market,” pointed out Knight. “You’re not going to find these products at the big boxes.”
Another patron of Noah’s, Michael Yablun, said the company and its owners go above and beyond in helping their customers.
“It’s a fantastic place and Mary and Liz, and everyone who works for them, are great people,” Yablun said. “My dog passed away three weeks ago and they came to my home to say goodbye to her. They’re that kind of people. I would recommend to anyone to go there.”
Looking ahead, Knight said she and Oshant will continue with their mission.
“Our job here is to keep creating an awareness for health for animals,” she said. “So many people eat really healthy themselves, but they don’t think about how they feed their dog. Also, we have people who take care of their animals, but don’t take care of themselves. Once they see the result with their pet, they change their eating habits, start eating a lot more organics.”
Noah’s charges $14 for a self-serve pet wash providing tubs and aprons. The pet wash and retail store is open Monday thorugh Friday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., 9 a.m. to 6:30 on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
For more information visit www.noahsnaturalpetmarket.com. Noah’s Natural Pet Market Where: 4431 Cass St. What: 15th anniversary celebration When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 21 Contact: (858) 270-8161
www.noahsnaturalpetmarket.com