You’ll soon be able to buy dog bones, collars, toys and other pet products at certain Lowe’s stores.
The Mooresville-based retailer early Thursday announced a new partnership with Petco that includes adding mini pet shops inside Lowe’s stores as part of a new pilot program.
- Shops will be approximately 1,000 square feet and will occupy prominent spots at the front of Lowe’s stores.
- They’ll sell hundreds of pet products, but not live animals. Customers can still bring their pets to Lowe’s stores, though.
- The shops will offer certain pet services such as grooming and vaccinations, too.
Locations: The first Lowe’s + Petco store-in-store concept opens in Alamo Ranch, Texas, in early February, according to a statement from Lowe’s.
By the end of March, the plan is to expand to 14 additional Lowe’s locations in Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina, per the company. Lowe’s and Petco are still determining exactly where those locations will be.
Why it matters: During the pandemic, Americans bought and adopted pets in droves. The Humane Society of Charlotte re-homed a record 3,431 animals in 2021, spokesperson Emily Cook told Axios. That’s up from about 3,000 in 2020.
Nationwide, Americans took in approximately 11 million pets over the last two years, says Bill Boltz, EVP of merchandising at Lowe’s.
- Demand for pet products has therefore followed a similar pattern. Lowe’s wants to capitalize on the trend.
“There was something emerging here from a trend perspective. There’s an opportunity for us to make sure we’re including pets,” Boltz told Axios.
Zoom out: The Petco deal is the latest evolution of Lowe’s so-called “total home” strategy. Essentially, this is a company phrase for Lowe’s push to become a one-stop shop for everything you’d need for your home (besides essentials like groceries).
- Also part of this approach: Lowe’s last year beefed up its inventory of holiday goods and decorations, including its largest-ever selection of artificial trees.
- Last year, Lowe’s also launched a project aimed to help seniors age in their homes. The “Livable Home” initiative includes selling products such as walk-in tubs and non-stick floors.
“We’ve evolved with our total home strategy and we’ve looked at whats important inside a consumer’s home,” Boltz said.
