PETSMART TO BUY PETZAZZ OPERATOR

RICHARD TURCSIK

PHOENIX -- PetSmart here, the nation's leading pet food and pet care superstore chain, is entering the Midwest through an agreement to acquire Weisheimer Cos., operator of the Petzazz pet superstore chain.

Columbus, Ohio-based Weisheimer operates 29 stores in five Midwestern states, and plans to have 31 by the end of March. The store banner was changed to Petzazz late last year from Pet Food Supermart, Eric Plaskonos, regional marketing manager for Petzazz, told SN.

Weisheimer also operates a new 120,000-square-foot distribution center in Columbus. The chain is an aggressive competitor against supermarket pet departments in its marketing area. With the name change, it ran full-page, price-comparison newspaper ads showing price gaps between itself and local grocery stores.

"Primarily, when we have a major event, we have a heavy, very visible run of press, and it works very well for us. We also advertise extensively through a combination of direct mail, radio and television," Plaskonos said.

The ad announcing the name change featured more than 30 national-brand pet foods with the Petzazz prices and grocery store prices below.

Featured items included Milk-Bone dog biscuits, $2.29 for a 26-ounce box vs. $2.59 in a grocery store; Cycle dog food in a 14-ounce can, 44 cents vs. 50 cents; Meaty Bone dog biscuits, $1.89 for an 18-ounce box vs. $2.35; 9 Lives cat food, 26 cents for a 5.5-ounce can vs. 30 cents; Purina Cat Chow in a 3.5-pound bag, $3.49 vs. $4.39, and Purina Meow Mix in a 7-pound bag, $5.99 vs. $7.65.

"The grocery price was an average of prices in the Cincinnati market. We went to several stores in Cincinnati to compare prices," Plaskonos said.

Following the acquisition, the Petzazz units will be converted over to the PetSmart banner and format later this year, said Cozette Phifer, PetSmart public relations manager.

PetSmart currently operates 108 pet care superstores in 19 Western, Southwestern and Southern states.