PetSmart facts for kids
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PetSmart location in Modesto, California
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Formerly
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PetFood Warehouse, PETsMART |
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| Private | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | August 14, 1986 in Phoenix, Arizona |
| Founder | Jim Dougherty |
| Headquarters |
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United States
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Number of locations
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1,600+ (2020) |
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Area served
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United States Canada |
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Key people
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Ken C. Hicks (CEO) |
| Products | Pet food, pet supplies |
| Services | Grooming, training, PetsHotel, Doggie Day Camp |
| Revenue |  $7 billion (2020) |
| Owner | BC Partners Apollo Global Management |
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Number of employees
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56,000 (2020) |
| Divisions | PetSmart Charities |
PetSmart Inc. is an American chain of large pet stores. These stores sell products, services, and even small pets. It is the biggest pet company in North America. Its main competitor is Petco, but it also competes with online stores like Amazon and big retailers like Walmart and Target.
PetSmart has over 1,650 stores in the United States and Canada. The stores sell pet food, supplies, toys, and small animals like fish, birds, and hamsters. They also offer services like pet grooming, dog daycare, and boarding for cats and dogs. Many stores have vets and offer dog training classes. Through its non-profit group, PetSmart Charities, the company helps dogs and cats find new homes.
The company was founded in 1986 by Jim and Janice Dougherty. The first stores opened in 1987 in Phoenix, Arizona, and were called PetFood Warehouse. They sold large amounts of pet food at low prices. Later, the company changed its name to PetSmart and made its stores more attractive. It also started offering more services.
In 2005, the company changed its name from PETsMART to PetSmart. It began to focus on "pet parents," people who think of their pets as part of the family. In 2015, a group of investors bought the company. In 2017, PetSmart bought the online pet store Chewy. However, by 2021, PetSmart and Chewy became separate companies again.
Contents
How PetSmart Got Started
The First Pet Warehouses
In 1986, Jim and Janice Dougherty had an idea for a new kind of pet store. They wanted to open large warehouse-style stores that sold pet food in big quantities for cheap prices. They opened their first two stores in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1987, calling them PetFood Warehouse. A cool thing about these stores was that customers could bring their pets inside, which was very unusual at the time.
By 1989, the company changed its name to PETsMART. A new leader, Samuel J. Parker, was hired. He wanted to make the stores more than just warehouses. He added services like pet grooming and started selling birds, fish, and other small pets. He also made the stores look nicer, with brighter aisles and better floors.
Becoming a One-Stop Pet Shop
Under Parker's leadership, PETsMART grew quickly. By 1992, the company opened its 50th store. It started adding vet clinics and pet adoption centers to its stores. The goal was to become a "one-stop shop" where pet owners could get everything they needed, from food and supplies to vet care and training.
In 1993, the company had an IPO, which means it started selling shares of the company (called stock) to the public. This raised a lot of money, which helped PETsMART expand across the country.
Growing Bigger and Helping Pets
PetSmart Charities
In 1994, the company created PetSmart Charities. This is a separate non-profit group with an important mission: to save the lives of homeless pets. PetSmart decided not to sell cats or dogs in its stores. Instead, it gives space inside its stores to local animal shelters. These shelters can then show animals that need a home, and customers can adopt them right there. By 2020, PetSmart Charities had helped over 9 million pets get adopted.
New Services and Stores
Also in 1994, PETsMART partnered with Banfield Pet Hospital to put vet clinics inside its stores. This made it easy for pet owners to see a vet while they were shopping. The company also started a mail-order catalog and an informational website.
In 1996, PETsMART expanded outside the U.S. for the first time by opening stores in Canada. It also bought a chain of pet stores in the United Kingdom. However, the UK stores were not successful, and the company sold them a few years later.
New Ideas for a New Century
A Fresh Look and Feel
In 1998, a new CEO named Phil Francis took over. He had a lot of experience in retail and wanted to make PETsMART even better. He focused on training employees to give great customer service. He also redesigned the stores to be warmer and more welcoming. Instead of a warehouse feel, the stores were organized by the type of pet, making them easier to shop in.
The company also improved its website, Petsmart.com, making it a place where people could buy products online. This was important because online shopping was becoming more popular.
Focusing on Pet Care
In the early 2000s, PETsMART started a new plan to provide "Total Lifetime Care" for pets. This meant offering more services and making sure employees were well-trained to help customers. The company also started offering pet boarding with its PETsMART PetsHotels. These are places inside the stores where dogs and cats can stay when their owners are on vacation. They also added Doggie Day Camp for dogs to play during the day.
In 2005, the company officially changed its name to PetSmart. This change was part of a new focus on "pet parents" and the idea that pets are family. The company's ads and store designs all began to reflect this friendly, family-focused image.
PetSmart in Recent Years
Competing in a Modern World
By the 2010s, PetSmart faced more competition from online stores and other big retailers. To stand out, the company started selling exclusive product lines. These were special products you could only find at PetSmart, created with famous names like Martha Stewart and GNC.
In 2015, a group of investors known as a private equity firm bought PetSmart. This meant the company was no longer publicly traded on the stock market. The new owners made changes to help the company run more efficiently.
The Chewy Story
To compete better with online stores, PetSmart bought the popular pet e-commerce website Chewy in 2017. Chewy was known for its fast delivery and great customer service. For a few years, Chewy was part of PetSmart.
In 2019, Chewy had its own IPO and became a public company again. By the end of 2020, PetSmart and Chewy officially split into two separate companies. Today, they operate independently. PetSmart continues to focus on its physical stores and the many services it offers to pet parents and their beloved animals.
Leadership History
Since the company was founded, it has been led by several different CEOs.
- W.R. (Ford) Smith (1986–1989)
- Samuel J. Parker (1989–1995, 1997–1998)
- Mark Hansen (1995–1997)
- Phil Francis (1998–2009)
- Bob Moran (2009–2013)
- David Lenhardt (2013–2015)
- Michael J. Massey (2015–2017)
- J.K. Symancyk (2018–2024)
- Ken C. Hicks (2024–Present)
