Westwood Pet Center (then located at 5428 Westbard Ave.) closed last summer after 42 years in Bethesda when owner David Griffin decided it was time for retirement, citing the COVID-19 pandemic reducing store traffic and the redevelopment of Westwood Shopping Center as reasons that helped him make the decision. A few months later, the shop announced a return– this time at The Shops at Sumner Rd (4611-N Sangamore Rd). It will be operated by David’s daughter, Anna Griffin, and will open in the new location on Saturday, August 20th.
“Despite our amazing run at Westwood Shopping Center, we were presented with a relocation opportunity, true to our Bethesda roots, that we simply could not refuse.” Anna tells us. She was born and raised in Gaithersburg , and is a 2005 graduate of Watkins Mill High School. She went on to Salisbury University where she received a nursing degree and worked as an RN at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda before permanently transitioning to the pet industry in 2018.
Per Westwood Pet Center: “Westwood Pet Center is an independent, family-owned pet supplies retailer based in Bethesda, Maryland. Our mission is to inspire the optimal pet experience through natural and organic based products. We’ve had the pleasure of serving the Bethesda community for over 40 years, each milestone along the way attributed to our extremely loyal and supportive customer base.
On August 20, 2022 Westwood Pet Center will launch its newly renovated retail space at the Shops at Sumner Place! We’re absolutely thrilled for new and returning customers to experience the expanded store layout, doubling down on our promise to provide best-in-class products to promote pet health.
The only thing closer to our hearts than our customers pets, has been the ability to operate and sustain a private owned family business for more than four decades. It is with great pleasure that Westwood Pet Center is passing the torch to to Anna Griffin, the sole daughter of founder and longtime CEO David Griffin.
Anna has truly grown-up in, and with Westwood Pet Center, so there is no greater honor than taking-on WPC’s next chapter. We look forward to many years of continued success and partnership serving our furry friends in the Bethesda community.”
