Why this 38-year-old Charlotte entrepreneur is betting on pet stores

Despite the rise of Amazon and online sales, local owner Matt Grimm said there’s still a need for brick-and-mortar pet stores, especially when customers need advice.

“People tend to get their pet food last minute often, but I think if you combine a store with good services, good customer service — I think that’ll still trump anything else,” he said. 

Grimm owns all three of the Charlotte Pet Supplies Plus locations with his two business partners, who are based in Michigan. The two other local stores are located in Carmel Commons and Sharon Corners Shopping Center.

To set itself apart, Grimm said Pet Supplies Plus focuses on being part of the community.

“We want to be right in your neighborhood so you can walk your dog to us,” Grimm said. “We’ll carry the food out for you.”

Pet Supplies Plus has more than 400 stores nationwide and Grimm said about half are independently owned. Some natural pet food companies don’t sell to big box pet stores, so Pet Supplies Plus has a better variety and price point.

The franchise all goes heavy into services. The SeventhStreet and Sharon Corners locations have public dog wash stations that are fully equipped with towels, shampoo, conditioner and brushes, and the Carmel Commons location has a full grooming service. Every few months, Grimm said they sell a dog wash punch card, which allows customers to purchase five dog washes for $25 (the normal price of a dog wash is $10, so it’s half off).

Another plus: Pet Supplies Plus will price match items, and will also special order items that the store doesn’t carry.

There are plans to continue to expand Pet Supplies Plus in Charlotte, and Grimm said they are considering opening a store in the Dilworth-South End area, Matthews or Rock Hill.