Team – PawShop

Everyone here owns or fosters an animal. That is a hiring rule, not a coincidence.

Six people across two shops, a grooming room and one electric van. Between them they have a vet degree, eight years of supermarket buying, an Animal Science degree, a grooming academy diploma, two retired racing greyhounds, two rescue cats, a tortoiseshell, a Greek harehound and a thirteen-year-old mixed Greek mountain breed called Loukanikos.

Eleni Theodorakopoulou

Co-founder · Head of Curation · DVM

Eleni graduated from the Veterinary School of Aristotle University Thessaloniki in 2008 and spent six years in small-animal practice in Pangrati before opening PawShop. She personally curates the food, supplement, and health categories, writes most of the journal’s nutrition pieces, and still does Wednesday consultations at the Exarchia shop by appointment. Lives in Exarchia with Andreas, their dog Loukanikos (13, mixed Greek mountain breed), and a tabby called Stafida.

Andreas Markakis

Co-founder · Operations

Andreas spent eight years as a buyer for a Greek national supermarket chain before going independent. He runs sourcing, logistics, the loyalty programme, and Anestis the delivery van’s route planning. Still does Saturday shifts at the Cholargos counter because that is where the regulars are. Born in Cholargos. Coffee-only mornings.

Marina Sotiriou

Lead Groomer · Grooming Room Manager

Marina trained at the Athens Grooming Academy and worked at a busy Voula salon for five years before joining PawShop in 2020. She does the deshed-and-bath specialty, breed-specific scissor cuts, and the senior-dog gentle bath programme. Has two retired racing greyhounds called Argyro and Petra.

Petros Christodoulou

Cholargos Store Lead

Petros studied Animal Science at the Agricultural University of Athens and joined PawShop in 2018 from a small-animal feed wholesaler. He runs the Cholargos store, knows every regular by their pet’s name first, and is the team’s small-animal specialist — rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets. Lives with two rescue cats called Misho and Falafel.

Sofia Lampraki

Customer Care & Subscriptions

Sofia handles the email inbox, Subscribe & Save schedules, the Paw Points programme, and is the voice on the phone. Joined in 2022 after five years at a Thessaloniki call centre that she does not miss. Owns a senior tortoiseshell called Aphroditi and fosters kittens for AAWS twice a year.

Nikos Vlachos

Delivery & Warehouse

Nikos drives Anestis the e-van and does the morning Athens deliveries. He has been here since 2021 and has memorised every regular’s gate code, dog name, and “leave at the door” preference. His own dog Tito, a Greek harehound, sometimes rides shotgun.