By
Marty McFly -
Sunday, March 1, 2015
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2
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Welcome aboard the Delorean!
Marty McFly here to take you on a special journey to explore the former Leonary Nimoy's Pet Pad located at 8366 Topanga Canyon Blvd Canoga Park in addition to some other properties owned by Leonard Nimoy in the SFV. The Delorean has the required plutonium plus some random garbage in the Mr. Fusion reactor ready for this trip. The time circuits are set to March 1969 and the flux capacitor is......fluxxing. The engine is running (not stalled this time) so we need to hurry. Hang on, as the ride can be a little bumpy as we travel back in time.
By 1969, Leonard Nimoy was an accomplished actor famously known for playing "Spock" in the TV series, Star Trek, which first aired in 1966 and ended in 1969 after 71 episodes. Afterwards, Nimoy appeared in Mission: Impossible which started in 1969 and ended in 1971 after 49 episodes. During the 1969 year, Nimoy was not famously known for opening a pet store in Canoga Park called Pet Pad. The article from Michele Jacques titled His New World in 1970 (magazine not known) best describes Nimoy's fascination with animals:
Along with this Leonard decided to realize a long-time dream. To open a pet shop.… with all the kinds of animals available that he often wished he see in other shops he frequented. So now LeonardNimoy’s Pet Pad,” which is located in Canoga Park in the San Fernando Valley, stocks chipmunks, monkies, crocodiles, boa constrictors, a South American Otter and, of course, cats and dogs, just to mention a few. But the cats and dogs are not just the ordinary variety we find anywhere. They are all sorts of exotic and rare types. Leonard also has a tortoise which runs free in his backyard, His children love it, and take excellent care of it. Probably better care than they would of any “ordinary” animal.
I am not sure why Nimoy picked Canoga Park for his pet store location which in 1969 was on the cusp of explosive growth and still contained pockets of empty land. This location was nowhere near his home which I believe was either in the Hollywood, West LA, or Beverly Hills area according to the MovieLand Directory. And I dont believe he owned any ranch or secondary home near Canoga Park in the late 60's but I could be wrong. The only conclusion I could make is that he chose this location as he might have been working with a business partner who was managing the store and lived nearby. Unfortunately, the store didnt last long and was shutdown possibly in 1971 but the reason for the close and actual date is unknown.
On an unrelated note, next door to the Pet Pad was the Holiday Theatre (click here for 80's image) which included a 5' or 6' wall that divided the parking lot from the Ped Pad essentially preventing anyone to easily walk to the theater. The theatre was closed sometime in the 80's and I think the wall was taken down in the early 2000's.
Now its time to jump in the Delorean and head back to the future where the former Pet Pad store has now become the Pho CT Vietnamese restaurant. The building still remains but has undergone some facade and aesthetic changes. In the past, I remember this location was most recently an Enterprise Car Rental and in the early 90's an electronics store.
While researching this post also found out the Nimoy was an apartment investor in the SFV. So a lucky few individuals have the distinction of being tenants of Nimoy or living in a former Nimoy apartment building.
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| Image courtesy Bing |
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| Image courtesy Google Maps |
The first apartment was located at 5235 Corteen Place Valley Village 91607 (shown above) known as Corteen Towers that measures 35 units with 51 Beds/57 Baths on 42,506 sqft on a total lot size of 0.79 acres built in 1963. Its not known when Nimoy acquired the building but I am guessing sometime in the 70's or 80's. However, Nimoy did sell on June 16, 2006 for $5 million.
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| Image courtesy Bing |
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| Image courtesy Google Maps |
The second apartment was located at 14400 Addison Street Sherman Oaks 91423 (shown above) known as Terraces at the Oaks (formerly Oxford Apartments) which measures 55 units with 80 Beds/97 Baths on 72,490 sqft on a total lot size of 1.37 acres built in 1963. Its not known when Nimoy acquired the building but I am guessing sometime in the 70's or 80's. However, Nimoy did sell on September 23, 2004 for $8 million.
As a bonus, Nimoy purchased a Sherman Oaks home (shown above) that was later transferred to his daughter Julie. The home was purchased on April 22, 2011 for $1.1 million and measures 4 Beds/3 Baths on 2,112 sqft on a total lot size of 0.26 acres built in 1951. The listing description states:
Located in a prime neighborhood on the border of Royal Oaks, this 4 bed, 2.5 bath traditional home is filled w/ natural light from its many picture windows & glass doors. A step from the darling front porch & into the home reveals an open floor plan w/ peg 'n groove wood floors, crown mouldings, & warm designer paint colors. The elegant living room features a floor-to-ceiling brick frplc w/ ornate mantle, & large picture window. An open dining area easily accommodates additional guests for dinner. The pristine kitch includes tile counters, recessed lighting, menu-planning center, & stainless steel appliances. Adjacent to the kitchen, the family room has wood floors & glass doors to the yard. Wood floors & plantation shutters enhance each spacious bedroom, & the master suite contains its own ensuite bath and built-in desk w/ picture window overlooking the yard. An oversized bonus room may make the ideal 4th bedroom, also w/ wood floors, crown mouldings, & plantation shutters. Outside, a brick lounging patio look sout to an expansive grassy yard w/ sparkling pool, spa, & pergola - covered dining patio w/ built-in barbeque island. Located in the coveted Lanai Road Elementary School district & part of the sought-after Encino little league district.
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| Image courtesy Bing |
The second bonus is Nimoy's main home (shown above) is located in Bel Air near the Hotel Bel Air. The home measures 3 Beds/5 Baths on 6,051 sqft on a total lot size of 1,07 acres built in 1945. The purchase price and date is unknown.
The third and final bonus is Nimoy's one time Lake Tahoe home (shown above) which measures 4 Beds/4 Baths on 4,013 sqft on an unknown lot size built in 1979. Nimoy acquired this property on January 2, 1992 for $895,000 and sold on May 5, 2014 for $4,788,000 due to his declining health. This home was featured in the Sacramento Business Journal.
His legacy as that character is key to the enjoyment of Star Trek. The way that Spock was used as a device for the writers to examine humanity and examine what it meant to be human, that's really what Star Trek was all about. And in finding Leonard Nimoy, they found the perfect person to portray that. "
You can view more SFV Back to the Future series
here.
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Marty Mcfly
Anything and everything about the San Fernando Valley. This blog will take you back in time when the valley was covered with dirt and orange groves to a leader in the space race to its current status as America's suburb. Come along and join me on this adventure, I guarantee you have been influenced/impacted by the San Fernando Valley in one form or another even if you have never visited or heard of the SFV.
As a small kid I was a frequent visitor to both Leonard Nimoy's Ped Pad and the Holiday theater next door, as well as the Holiday Deli a few more doors down. One of my classmates named Willy Viner was the son of the owner of the theater (I think) and another classmate called Jeff Rubenstein was a possible nephew of Nimoy's. The holiday liquor store was also in the same strip mall.
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