Pet Supplies Plus

Pet Supplies Plus is an American specialty pet retailer founded in 1988 by Harry Shallop and Jack Berry in Redford, Michigan. The chain was created to serve consumers seeking a broad assortment of pet food and supplies through neighborhood-oriented stores rather than through general merchandise retailers. Its product range includes food, treats, toys, bedding, grooming products, habitats, and other everyday items for dogs, cats, birds, fish, and small animals. The company has also developed proprietary and in-house product lines, including Redford Naturals pet food. The business expanded beyond its original Midwest base during the late 1990s, using franchising as an important growth mechanism. This enabled Pet Supplies Plus to add stores in the Northeast and South while maintaining a predominantly United States-focused operating model. By 2005, it was described as the third-largest specialty pet-food retailer in the United States. The chain's store format has generally emphasized accessible locations, practical assortments, and routine purchasing needs, positioning it between independent pet stores and larger national pet-specialty competitors. Pet Supplies Plus underwent a change in financial ownership in 2018, when Sentinel Capital Partners acquired the company. In January 2021, Franchise Group, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire Pet Supplies Plus, and the transaction closed on March 10, 2021. Under Franchise Group ownership, the brand became part of a broader portfolio of franchised and specialty retail businesses. The company later faced significant financial pressure within the Franchise Group structure. In November 2024, Franchise Group announced plans to seek Chapter 11 protection following months of losses and turmoil associated with its owner, B. Riley Financial. Franchise Group and affiliated subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware on November 3, 2024. The restructuring plan was intended to keep Pet Supplies Plus stores operating while lenders, including HPS Investment Partners, pursued a change in control. The available reference material does not establish a completed post-restructuring ownership transfer. As of May 2023, Pet Supplies Plus had more than 720 stores across 36 U.S. states. Its principal identity remains that of a national pet-supplies chain with a mix of company-operated and franchise locations, supported by private-label and exclusive merchandise. Although its corporate parent entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2024, the retail brand itself was reported as continuing operations during the process.

Pet Supplies Plus began in 1988 in Redford, Michigan, founded by Harry Shallop and Jack Berry. Its original concept was a specialty retail chain focused on the recurring needs of pet owners, particularly food, treats, supplies, and accessories. Rather than concentrating on a narrow premium niche, the business pursued a practical assortment for common companion animals and a store format intended to be convenient for regular household shopping. The chain initially developed in the Midwest and later expanded through franchising. During the late 1990s, franchise development helped the company enter northeastern and southern states, broadening the brand beyond its Michigan origins. This model allowed independent operators to participate in the network while Pet Supplies Plus extended its store presence and purchasing reach. The company became a notable participant in the U.S. specialty pet-food market and was identified in 2005 as the country's third-largest specialty pet-food retailer. Its merchandise portfolio has covered dog and cat food, treats, toys, bedding, grooming products, pet-care goods, aquarium items, bird products, and supplies for small animals. The company has also used in-house and private-label merchandise to distinguish its assortment and support price and margin objectives. Redford Naturals is one of the named in-house food lines associated with the brand. In 2018, Sentinel Capital Partners acquired Pet Supplies Plus. The transaction placed the retailer under private-equity ownership during a period in which specialty pet retail was becoming increasingly competitive, with national chains, independent stores, e-commerce companies, and mass merchants all serving pet owners. In January 2021, Franchise Group, Inc. announced that it would acquire the chain. The acquisition closed on March 10, 2021, bringing Pet Supplies Plus into Franchise Group's larger portfolio of franchised and specialty retail brands. The brand continued to operate as a U.S. store network. By May 2023, the chain had more than 720 locations in 36 states, reflecting a substantial national presence. Its operating identity remained centered on neighborhood pet stores, broad everyday product selection, and a combination of corporate and franchise retailing. The wider Franchise Group organization encountered severe financial difficulties in 2024. On November 2, Franchise Group announced preparations for a Chapter 11 filing after months of losses and turmoil connected with its owner, B. Riley Financial. On November 3, Franchise Group and its affiliated subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware. The restructuring proposal contemplated that HPS Investment Partners and other lenders would take control once the process was completed. Pet Supplies Plus was expected to remain open during the proceedings. The available material does not confirm the final outcome of the proposed ownership transfer, so the brand's post-restructuring corporate ownership remains unresolved in this dossier.

• 2024

  Bankruptcy restructuring begins at parent level

  [1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Franchise Group and affiliated subsidiaries entered Chapter 11 proceedings, with plans intended to keep Pet Supplies Plus operating during the restructuring.

• 2023

  Network exceeds 720 stores

  [1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  As of May 2023, the chain had more than 720 stores in 36 U.S. states.

• 2021

  Franchise Group acquisition closes

  [1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Franchise Group completed its acquisition of Pet Supplies Plus on March 10.

• 2018

  Sentinel Capital Partners acquisition

  [1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Sentinel Capital Partners acquired Pet Supplies Plus.

• 2005

  Recognized as a major specialty pet-food retailer

  [1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Pet Supplies Plus was described as the third-largest specialty pet-food retailer in the United States.

• 1990

  Franchise-led geographic expansion begins

  [1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  The company began adding franchise locations and expanded from its Midwest base into northeastern and southern states during the late 1990s.

• 1988

  Pet Supplies Plus is founded

  [1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Harry Shallop and Jack Berry founded Pet Supplies Plus in Redford, Michigan.

A neighborhood-oriented, accessible specialty pet retailer offering broad everyday assortments for multiple types of companion animals, with franchising and private-label merchandise supporting its national footprint.

• Pet food

  Pet food

  Pet Supplies Plus sells food for common companion animals, especially dogs and cats. The assortment is supported by both national-brand products and in-house merchandise, serving routine feeding needs across different animal sizes, life stages, and dietary preferences. Food is a central recurring-purchase category for the chain.

• Private-label pet food

  Redford Naturals

  Redford Naturals is an in-house pet-food line associated with Pet Supplies Plus. It forms part of the retailer's private-label strategy, giving the chain a branded food offering that is distinct from the national brands carried in its stores.

• Pet supplies

  Pet toys and accessories

  The chain's general pet-supplies assortment includes toys, collars, leashes, bowls, carriers, bedding, and other accessories used in everyday pet ownership. These products complement the food business and support one-stop shopping for household pet needs.

• Pet care

  Grooming and care supplies

  Pet Supplies Plus carries grooming and animal-care products intended for routine maintenance at home. The broader care assortment includes items used for cleaning, coat care, hygiene, and day-to-day management of companion animals.

• Specialty pet supplies

  Aquarium, bird, and small-animal supplies

  Beyond dog and cat merchandise, the retailer serves fish, birds, and small animals with habitat, feeding, bedding, and care products. This multi-species assortment supports the brand's broader positioning as a general pet-supplies store rather than a dog-and-cat-only retailer.

• 2024

  Continue store operations during Chapter 11 restructuringStrategy

  Background

  Franchise Group and its subsidiaries faced losses and entered Chapter 11 proceedings in Delaware.

  Action taken

  The restructuring plan was designed to keep Pet Supplies Plus stores open while the parent organization underwent bankruptcy proceedings.

  Aftermath

  HPS Investment Partners and other lenders were expected to take control after the restructuring, but the supplied material does not confirm that the transfer was completed.

  Source

• 2021

  Join Franchise Group's retail portfolioM&A

  Background

  Franchise Group announced an acquisition of Pet Supplies Plus in January 2021.

  Action taken

  Franchise Group completed the transaction on March 10, 2021.

  Aftermath

  Pet Supplies Plus operated within Franchise Group while continuing as a national specialty pet-retail chain.

  Source

• 2018

  Accept Sentinel Capital Partners acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Pet Supplies Plus changed ownership when Sentinel Capital Partners acquired the company.

  Action taken

  The retailer became part of Sentinel Capital Partners' investment portfolio.

  Aftermath

  The company later changed ownership again through its 2021 sale to Franchise Group.

  Source

• 2024

  Franchise Group prepares for Chapter 11 restructuring[1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Leadership change

  Franchise Group announced plans to seek Chapter 11 protection after reporting months of losses and turmoil associated with its owner, B. Riley Financial. Pet Supplies Plus was expected to continue operating during the restructuring.

• 2024

  Franchise Group and subsidiaries file for Chapter 11 protection[1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · M&A

  Franchise Group and affiliated subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware. The restructuring contemplated a takeover by HPS Investment Partners and other lenders, subject to completion of the process.

• 2021

  Franchise Group announces acquisition of Pet Supplies Plus[1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Franchise Group, Inc. announced that it would acquire Pet Supplies Plus. The transaction was completed on March 10, 2021.

• 2018

  Sentinel Capital Partners acquires Pet Supplies Plus[1]Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Pet Supplies Plus was acquired by private-equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners, marking a change in ownership for the specialty pet-retail chain.

1. 1Pet Supplies Plusen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Livonia’s Pet Supplies Plus Acquires 40 Pet Valu Locationsdbusiness.com
3. 3Pet Supplies Plus donates $50,000 to Rockwall’s Patriot Pawsblueribbonnews.com
4. 4Pet Supplies Plus Partners with Natural Balance® to Make $50,000 Donation to Patriot PAWS to Honor Veteran's Dayprnewswire.com