Petco debuts NYC flagship store
- Petco has opened a new flagship store in New York City.
- The 25,000-square-foot space has features such as a full-service veterinary hospital and pet grooming.
- The store replaces a previous Petco location nearby.
Petco Health and Wellness Co. in June opened a new 25,000-square-foot flagship New York City store in Union Square.
According to a June 1 release, Petco’s new two-story store at 44 Union Square aims to combine Petco’s physical and digital offerings in a space that includes a grooming salon, veterinary hospital, merchandise and a kitchen where shoppers can purchase small-batch pet meals.
The store is designed with New York City in mind with elements pulled from various city neighborhoods and trees and other greenery designed to look like nearby Union Square Park and its open-air farmers market. The new location relocates a previous Petco location at 860 Broadway, which opened in 1996 and closed at the end of May, according to Petco.
“We’re delighted to welcome pets and pet parents to this revolutionary flagship experience that embodies Petco’s fully integrated, omnichannel pet health and wellness ecosystem within a single pet care center,” said Justin Tichy, COO at Petco, in the release. “Its distinctly New York design coupled with Petco’s highly differentiated pet care offering brings to life the humanization and premiumization trends shaping the pet space in a way no one else can replicate. Every element is designed to cultivate a seamless experience that nurtures the incredible bond between pets and pet parents, making it a top destination for pet parents worldwide to experience the best in pet health and wellness.”
Here’s what shops can find at the new Petco flagship:
- 17th & Bark: A selection of pet goods unique to this location. Petco said vendors represent diverse and local communities in New York and include Hiro Clark’s pet collection, apparel from Andrea Cáceres, portraits by Ben Lenovits and accessories from Lambwolf Collective.
- Vetco Total Care: A full-service veterinarian.
- Ruff’s Barker Shop: A grooming facility inspired by a classic barbershop.
- Reddy Shop: A shop-in-shop from Petco’s owned brand.
- Dog training and an indoor park.
- JustFoodForDogs Kitchen: Chefs make small-batch meals for pets with human-grade ingredients.
- Petco Love: Cat adoptions and other adoption events with local Petco partners. Petco Love is Petco’s non-profit organization focused on adoptions and animal welfare.
Consumer spend on pets in the U.S. is large and growing. Consumers paid out $136.8 billion on pet-related expenses last year, up from $123.6 billion in 2021 and $90.5 billion in 2018, according to the American Pet Products Association. Last year, pet food and treats accounted for the most — $58.1 billion — in sales.
Other Petco efforts this year include a partnership with Freshpet to create a dog food subscription and an expanded presence in Canada with shop-in-shops inside Canadian Tire stores.