Pet Supermarket

Pet Supermarket is a regional pet specialty retailer that operates full-line pet stores across the southeastern United States. The chain focuses on everyday pet needs, stocking a wide range of food, treats, toys, grooming supplies, and health products for dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, and small animals. Many locations also offer live pets along with in-store services such as grooming, training, and adoption events, which help drive regular traffic and repeat visits.

The business traces its origins to 1973, when founder Chuck West opened a pet store called Pet Circus in Florida. In 1986, the first Pet Supermarket opened in Hollywood, Florida, combining a larger-format store with an emphasis on service and product knowledge. Over time, that concept evolved into a network of neighborhood-focused pet stores supported by a dedicated distribution center, which allowed the company to grow while keeping a consistent assortment and pricing strategy across the chain. A notable milestone came in 2015, when Roark Capital, an Atlanta-based private equity firm with significant holdings in multi-unit retail and restaurant brands, acquired Pet Supermarket and positioned it for continued operation as a focused regional player.

As of December 2024, Pet Supermarket operates approximately 150 stores, with a heavy concentration in Florida and additional locations across Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Stores are typically located in strip centers and power centers, often alongside grocery or drugstore anchors, and tend to serve established suburban and urban trade areas where pet ownership is high and store visits are frequent. The brand does not franchise; all stores are corporately owned and operated, and real estate decisions are handled at the corporate level.

Over roughly the last five years, Pet Supermarket has not pursued aggressive new-store expansion or large-scale entry into new states. Instead, the company has focused on maintaining its existing footprint, refining in-store services, and improving performance at current locations. That approach has emphasized operational stability and consistency over rapid growth, which has helped it remain a steady presence in many centers across the Southeast.

As of December 2024, Pet Supermarket is not actively growing its store count and has not publicly announced new market entries or large development pipelines. Its real estate strategy centers on optimizing current sites rather than large-scale new development or relocation programs. For landlords, brokers, and developers in the Southeast, the chain functions as a mature, service-oriented pet tenant with a recognizable brand, a repeat-visit customer base, and a consistent inline or junior anchor format that fits well within grocery-anchored and power center environments.