ACME UNITS EXPANDING 'PET WORLD' CONCEPT SECTIONS

JOEL ELSON

MALVERN, Pa. -- Eight additional Acme Markets units now have "Pet World" destination pet centers, expanded sections that contain about 1,400 items.

The 1,000-square-foot centers, now in 11 units, feature seven times the amount of items found at other Acme stores, according to informed trade sources. About 35% of the overall mix is pet general merchandise products. Acme officials here had no comment. In addition to food, the departments contain many new accessories and supplies, including bird cages, aquariums and aquatic supplies, animal toys, bird feeders and play habitat houses for small animals. The mix is priced up to $49.99. The sections were created to compete against large pet superstores in the area. They are located up front between frozen food and a general merchandise aisle that features gift wraps, automotive supplies, light bulbs and hardware.

The focal points of the section are two displays of assorted loose dog biscuits and chew bones priced from 79 cents to $2.79 a pound. Called the "Bone Bar" and "Chew Bar," the 8-foot-long by 4-foot-deep freestanding fixtures each feature 10 bins of various types and sizes of biscuits and bones.

Located between the two displays is a 6-foot-high information center that contains free pamphlets on pet health and nutrition. Topics cover a wide range of issues concerning dogs and cats, including neutering,

spaying and pet training. Pet magazines also are sold at the center.

Larger pet accessories -- such as pet carriers, aquarium kits, bird cages, bird feeders and cat litter pans -- are merchandised over an upper gondola shelf. Acme has priced the entire pet area mix -- including supplies, accessories and packaged and bulk items -- to be competitive with the large pet stores and category killer pet outlets, said a knowledgeable source. To reinforce its competitive stance in the section, overhead signs guarantee the lowest prices on many items in the department. The retailer heralded the enlarged pet center in weekly ads and fliers, saying it has "everything you'll need for birds, rabbits, gerbils, cats and dogs . . . Everything from food, leashes and toys to beds and bird feeders." Future Pet World centers will go into select stores that have space for the expanded departments, an observer said. But Acme wants "to see how effective the new format is" before it expands the concept to additional 66,000- to 70,000-square-foot new or enlarged stores, the source said. Acme began testing the Pet World format at its Thorndale, Pa., store last June, and then expanded it to Morrisville, Pa., and Clifton Heights, Pa., over the summer. The eight new sections opened last month.