Lou Russo Lou Russo, founder of Russo’s...

Lou Russo

Lou Russo, founder of Russo’s Pet Experience in Fashion Island and

a longtime leader in the local business community, has died. He was

80.

Russo launched the innovative, boutique-style pet store in the

late 1960s well into a successful career breeding and showing

champion Italian greyhounds. Russo also wrote a book about Italian

greyhounds and went on to win the Westminster dog show.

In the 1970s, Russo held outdoor dog shows at Fashion Island, at

what is now the site of Nieman Marcus. He served on the board of the

Fashion Island Merchants Assn. as a founding member and was former

president of the retail pet association.

“He really raised the bar for pet stores, making them much more

like a boutique, higher end, carpeted, much nicer,” said Dan Di

Giacomo, who bought the Fashion Island store from Russo in 1978 and

whose family became close friends with Russo’s. “We’ve carried on the

Russo tradition.”

Russo eventually expanded to five stores, which carry all types of

pets. The Fashion Island outlet remained the company’s flagship

store.

“He really did set the standard,” Di Giacomo said.

Services were held earlier this month at Forest Lawn Mortuaries in

Cypress.

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