When Zack Grey and Corina Martin set out to design a pet store, they knew they had two business models to choose from. There were the gigantic stores like PETCO that sell 15 different kinds of kitty litter, and then the boutiques that make sure you spend more on a leash than you would on your own kidney surgery.

Instead, they made their own.

Urban Tails is a new kind of pet store, explains Grey. With 5,000 feet of retail space, it has the capacity to sell everything your pet needs, but offers even more, something that may appeal to that green side of all of us.

Urban Tails specializes not only in animal care but in eco-friendly animal care. You can de-flea your dog and feel good about it, too. The environmentally friendly products have had quite a reception already.

“We have a large green zone where we offer beds and toys of recycled materials or organics. All of it’s chemical free. They’re actually selling four to one to the other product that we have,” Grey says.

The array of useful products separates Urban Tails from “boutique” status, and the quality puts it miles ahead of chain pet stores. Urban Tails sells human-grade pet foods, the environmental products and is a site where a dog owner can chill with their favorite four-legged buddy.

That’s because Urban Tails is also outfitted with a Koi pond and relaxation area where dogs and their humans can relax and enjoy the ambience. It’s a rare place these days that actually invites pets indoors.

The idea for Urban Tails all started with Grey’s dog training classes that he conducted out of the parking lots of other pet stores. He gained wide recognition for his techniques, and it seemed prudent to get his own space to provide a place where his clients could come for training and pet owners could come for everything else.

With the opening of the store and the increase in business, Grey has had to scale back on his private clients, but there’s the added bonus of being able to walk into Urban Tails and have a highly qualified trainer there to answer any questions you may have about what your pooch needs.

Urban Tails is place where you, your dog and Koi can live together in peace and harmony.

Urban Tails is located at 7515 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles. For more information, call (323) 933-2100 or visit www.urbantails.net.