The Leader • Saturday, October 7, 2017 • Page 1B
Natural Pawz opens in Oak Forest By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader
You may have noticed all the commotion on the northwest corner of Ella Boulevard and 42nd Street last weekend. Nestled in the retail center were colorful signs, a wading pool full of pet toys, and leashed, live puppies playing among the many people coming and going. The party was to celebrate the opening of Natural Pawz pet foods, and pet owners throughout the community are delighted. What has our neighbors so jazzed about pet food? Natural Pawz features locally produced, nutritious, organic foods. With the Oak Forest opening, the company is celebrating its 17th Houston-area location and its 12th birthday. “It’s our first day, and we have been crazy busy. We love Oak Forest, it’s so beautiful, and this store may be our busiest yet!” said store manager Elizabeth Sacco during the party. “Americans know that a healthy diet helps people live longer,” explained Biff Picone, co-owner and Founder of Natural Pawz. “And people know the same is true for pets. A healthy diet with quality ingredients and fewer fillers, helps prevent the increasing a number of diseases we
Photo contributed Co-owner Biff Picone sits for a photo at Natural Pawz while holding the family cat, Harold, and Callie takes her place in the middle. Jill sits in co-owner Nadine Joli-Coeur’s lap while Lucky snuggles in on the right.”
see in our pets: diabetes, cancer and more. Nutrition has the same benefits for our furry family as it does us.” Picone and his wife and business partner, Nadine Joli-Coeur, discov-
ered this first hand. In 2001, the couple adopted a chocolate Labrador Retriever named Callie. Soon, Callie started suffering from food allergies that caused hair loss, hot spots and severe itching.
“We took Callie to the veterinarian and started her on steroid shots. It helped, but she needed the shot about every six weeks. One day the vet said, ‘You know, each time I give your dog this shot, I am shortening
her life,” explained Picone. I said, ‘Put that needle down!’ Then we left and never returned,” stated co-owner and Founder Nadine Joli-Coeur. The couple decided to experiment and adjust the dog’s diet but their choices of foods were limited to companies which utilize fillers. After research, they found a small pet food business specializing in whole, organic ingredients and very little fillers such as the corn, or even peanut shells found in larger company foods. With this change, Callie’s symptoms improved. “Natural Pawz grew organically,” said Joli-Coeur. “It happened through word-of-mouth. By 2005, so many people were seeing positive outcomes and wanted the same products we were feeding Callie, we started to view making the pets foods as a sort of calling. Biff and I left our tech jobs and went to work at Natural Pawz full-time.” Other features offered at Natural Pawz are its pet baked goods. These wonderful treats are created by locally owned Doggie Express, and each is dairy-free, gluten-free, human-grade, and organic. Stop by for a pint of almond milk-based peanut butter-banana-bacon ice cream, or a See Pawz P. 3B
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Photo contributed Chris Huang was hoping to find restaurant space in the area when a spot at Ella Plaza became available. Now he has something to dance about.
Flying Pho set to rock Ella Plaza’s late night By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com If you are the kind of person who finishes up with your Netflix binge well after midnight with a hankering for pho, then you are going to love Chris Huang’s new endeavor in Braun Enterprises’ Ella Plaza. Huang, the proprietor of Ninja Ramen on Washington Avenue, will open his second restaurant, Flying Pho in Ella Plaza. It will take the place of the recently vacated bagel shop Toasted. Flying Pho will
be open until midnight and will deliver until 2 a.m. “I wanted to convey our delivery service in a fun way,” said Huang of the name choice for the restaurant. While Ninja Ramen is inspired by Japanese cuisine, Flying Pho will feature Vietnamese cuisine, which is in turn an amalgamation of French and Chinese food. Huang says the recipes are his and he will do a little of the cooking as well. “I’m a noodle guy through and through,” said Huang. Generally, there’s a larger
menu at pho restaurants, but Huang is keeping it “super simple” – with pho, egg rolls and pastries. The pho will be a northern style pho, which is different from other restaurants in Houston that serve a southern variety of the noodle soup, made with either chicken or beef. “The northern style is original and good too,” he said, noting that although pho has been around for more than 20 years in Houston, it has been more mainstream for the last 10 to 15 years.
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