SEATTLE — EarthWise Pet announced last week its pet retail franchise has acquired 18 Pet Pros locations in Washington, expanding its United States network to 151 stores. Zeke and Sabino Arredondo, franchisees of the EarthWise Pet brand, have purchased the 18 stores.

Pet Pros was previously owned by Harvey and Nancy Peterson since 1992. Since 2016, the couple has been semi-retired and passed on day-to-day operations to General Manager Georgeann McConn, who will continue overseeing those 18 locations under EarthWise ownership.

“The Petersons built a company that we love and respect, and they have built a wonderful team,” said Michael Seitz, chief executive officer of EarthWise Pet. “We share the same values when it comes to serving pets, their people, and the community, and we’re honored to carry their legacy forward.”

This announcement follows a strategic partnership between EarthWise and Pet Stuff, another pet retail entity, to combine their franchising and sales efforts under one roof, including roughly 130 storefronts.

EarthWise stated it will continue seeking purchasing and partnership opportunities to expand its reach in the United States pet retail space.

“We believe that by bringing locally owned pet stores together, we can help entrepreneurs compete effectively against online retailers and corporate chains,” Seitz says. “Customers love having people they can trust who provide advice, guidance, and support to them and their pets. Big chains do have some advantages, however, and by layering in additional services that EarthWise Pet has developed, and building a brand with the economies of scale to negotiate better pricing, we have evened the playing field for the types of local business owners who know their customers’ pets by name.”

Stay up to date on the latest pet food processing industry headlines on our News page.