BY ISAIAH JOHN AGUON
Journal Staff
Island pets and residents have healthier options in Guam as a new pet store and the only indoor rock-climbing gym began business.
Zoomies Pet Supply opened for operations on Dec. 12 in Tamuning, the same street of Oka Pay-Less Supermarket, offering premium products for fur babies.
Young Huang, owner of Zoomies Pet Supply, told the Journal the idea of the business was in the making for over a year. “I noticed with the current pet stores here on Guam there really isn’t one that offers products that I was looking for my own dogs,” he said. “Just talking with friends and family we realized that there was definitely a need that needed to be met in Guam.”
Huang said that opening the 1,800 square foot store for operations nearly two months ago wasn’t easy. “There were a lot of shipping delays, and so that pushed back a lot of the original plans.” He started renting the space in June 2022, but shipments didn’t begin to arrive until almost half a year later in November.
Although open for business, Huang said he is still awaiting some shipments from Los Angeles for items like pet food, pallets and accessories. “We would have had our grand opening early January, but because of delayed shipments we are still doing a soft opening,” he said.
After being open for about two months, and despite not having all products to be offered in stock, feedback from the community has been positive, Huang said.
“Every customer that comes in is pretty surprised with what we have,” he said. “With the stuff that you find here you can’t find at other pet shops or grocery stores. The value of our products here are premium.”
The goal is to “push a more holistic approach to nutrition” for pets. “If you eat well, you will be healthier,” Huang said.
Yumika Sugahara, manager at Zoomies; said that’s what makes the store different from others on island. “We are a supply store for dogs and cats, and we are pet friendly, so anyone is welcome to bring dogs and cats as long as they are not aggressive,” Sugahara said. “What also makes us unique, we are the only store on the island that displays dog treadmills … (in) three sizes for small, medium and large breeds.”
Products in bright colored packaging bring light to the room and serve a friendly welcome as pets are allowed to roam, play, and exercise in the establishment. Zoomies Pet Supply also has a treat bar. Currently, the products are only “catering to the dogs and cat’s needs” but Huang said, “There is a goal to expand eventually.”
Zoomies Pet Supply hours of operation are 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The store is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Rui Wang is the CEO and co-founder of the Guam Sports Climbing Center, and also owns the Guam Badminton Sports Center, which opened Feb. 5, 2022, in Barrigada. He said he believes there was another rock-climbing business in Guam in 2008 but it later “shut down” a couple years after opening.
The center has 70-foot-long and 15-foot-high wall constructed within the same facility as the Guam Badminton Sports Center.
Wang said, “I initially started the idea of a rock-climbing facility in Guam about six months ago. … I think it is very beneficial for the island, the climbers, and the people because they have the space to climb, a facility to promote health and exercise.”
The tall wall is made from processed plywood, painted color gray, and has climbing holds installed — a type of grip used by climbers to grab or step on. A 70-foot-long mat of foam is positioned at the bottom of the wall to protect climbers from being injured, after falling.
The establishment of the business was in the making in the last half year, according to Wang. It took two months for a manufacturing company in China to design the wall, two months to produce and manufacture the material, a month of shipping from China to Guam, and one month to build up the wall. The total investment was $80,000, which included designing, materials, shipping, and construction, he said.
Unlike many other businesses across the globe, “shipping wasn't an issue” for the Guam Sports Climbing Center. “I think it made a minimal to no impact on our climbing business,” Wang said.
Patron will pay $12 to climb the wall, which includes a day pass and chalk to prevent climbers from slipping because of their sweat caused by the heat, and access to the gym for a whole day. Shoes geared for rock climbing are available to rent for $2 to $3.
Rock climbing is growing popularity across the globe, making its debut in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, according to National Geographic Magazine.
Noah Banez, the COO, and co-founder of the Guam Sports Climbing Center has been climbing for more tha a decade and moved to Guam from California in late 2022. He said, “Climbing is getting bigger and bigger by the year. Just in 2021, California increased its gym count for rock climbing to 86.”
Banez wants the Guam Sports Climbing Center to be “The space to climb in the Marianas … as there is a lot of growth happening in the industry.” His goal is to “open a multi discipline center for Olympic training hopefully in the future.” He said, “Personally, I would love to pass on the joy of climbing.”
Wang said that community interest has been high. “The impression is that there is a massive demand in climbing in Guam not only from the local residents but also from military families who are passionate climbers; the majority of the interest is from them,” he said. “I am excited just by the reaction from the community.”
This interest has pushed plans to expand the Guam Sports Climbing Center, he said. “For the next six months, we are trying to expand the climbable space at our current space and expand to a 5,000 square feet space,” he said. “What we are really doing in 2023, we are trying to build a brand new location and brand new gym which will include rock climbing, badminton and volleyball. In our future gym we will have all three disciplines in climbing which are bouldering, lead, and speed, … because we see the demand and interest from the community.”
Until then, to keep the Guam Sports Climbing Center interesting, Banez and his team will “reset” the wall every single week. Roughly one-third of the wall will be moved around.
Meanwhile, the goal for Michael Khan, the chief marketing officer and co-founder of the Guam Sports Climbing Center, is to “promote health, and make sure that (customers) have a good time … here.” He is also a registered nurse with a focus on quality and patient safety, working in the private sector on island. “There is really a lot of need to be more active in Guam,” Khan said. “Obesity is prevalent in Guam.” Approximately two-thirds of Guam’s population are either overweight or obese due to high energy intake and low rates of physical activity, which is highest among CHamorus and Micronesians, according to guampedia.com. This facility will try to bridge the gap of not having many places to keep people active, he said.
The Guam Sports Climbing Center is open 3 to 9 p.m. daily. mbj