Lowe’s + Petco Shop-in-Shop Footprint Expanding Nationwide
Home improvement retailer Lowe's and Petco Health + Wellness are expanding their store-within-a-store pilot program from 15 Lowe's stores to nearly 300 locations by year-end.
Focusing on rural communities, the expansion will give more shoppers access to Petco’s pet supplies and veterinary care services along with Lowe’s DIY and home improvement offerings inside Lowe’s stores.
"Our initial pilot program with Petco resonated with our existing, loyal shoppers and introduced new customers to Lowe's," Bill Boltz, Lowe's executive vice president of merchandising, said in a media release. "Partnering with top brands that our customers know and trust, like Petco, allows Lowe's to continue elevating and localizing our curated assortment to ensure we have the right products in the right markets. By expanding our store-in-store footprint, we're offering more tailored products and services to meet the unique needs of our customers in rural and remote areas, streamlining the shopping experience."
[Also Read: Inside Lowe’s + Petco & Other Evolving Pet Retail Concepts]
While Lowe’s has long permitted pets in its stores and sold a selection of pet products, Lowe’s + Petco offers pet parents a curated assortment of Petco’s pet nutrition, health and wellness supplies and services, including Petco’s owned brands (e.g., WholeHearted, EveryYay, Leaps & Bounds and So Phresh) as well as popular national brands (e.g., Bark Toys, Blue Buffalo, Frontline, Nestle’s Purina One and Seresto).
Petco's Vetco Clinics, offering vaccinations, microchipping and preventative medicine, will also be available once a month at 75 Lowe's stores and will be staffed by a licensed veterinarian.
"The success and expansion of our Lowe's + Petco store-in-store concept is proof of the important role pets play in our lives, and pet parents' deep desire to give them the best possible life in return," Amy College, Petco chief merchandising officer, added.
The expansion of the store-within-a-store locations is part of Lowe's broader rural strategy to tailor its assortment in up to 300 stores to include everything needed for farm and home, according to the release. Expanded rural store assortments will include feed, pet and outdoor products such as troughs, an expanded trailer selection, farm implements, livestock fencing, utility vehicles and specialized hardware. Additionally, new Carhartt apparel will also roll out to select stores as will an expansion of Wrangler apparel in all rural stores.
The first Lowe’s + Petco shop opened in early February 2022 in Alamo Ranch, Texas.