Some rural pet owners in Florida may have farther to drive soon for supplies and grooming.
Tractor Supply Co. said in its latest earnings report on July 23 it plans to close "approximately 75" of its underperforming Petsense stores. A company spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY on July 28 that the exact number of closures is 74.
Petsense currently lists 17 Florida locations. Eight of them were included in the list of closures provided to USA TODAY, including three — Jacksonville, Milton, and Fort Pierce — that opened in just the last two years.
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"This was a very difficult decision made after a deep look at our business. Our immediate focus is taking care of the team members who are affected by these closures," a Petsense
by Tractor Supply spokesperson said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY on July 28.
"We are working hard to transfer them to roles at other Petsense or Tractor Supply stores wherever possible," the spokesperson said, adding that the affected stores will remain open during a "wind-down process" over the next 10 to 12 weeks.
Here's what to know, including a list of locations closing.
Which Petsense by Tractor Supply locations are closing in Florida?
Tractor Supply provided a full list of the 74 Petsense locations that are closing to USA TODAY. The Florida locations are:
- Auburndale - 372 Havendale Blvd. Suite 372
- Fort Pierce - 1975 S. U.S. Hwy 1
- Jacksonville - 6765 Dunn Avenue, Suite #303
- Kissimmee (Poinciana) - 4330 Pleasant Hill Road
- Lakeland - 5291 US Highway 98 S
- Mount Dora - 18810 US Highway 441
- Nokomis - 1067 N Tamiami Trail
- Ocala - 3438 E Silver Springs Blvd.
What is Petsense? 135 locations remain
Petsense, a smaller competitor to pet supply retail chains like Petco and PetSmart with a focus on rural areas, was founded in 2005 and acquired by Tractor Supply in September 2016, according to a news release by the company. At the time of the acquisition, Petsense had 136 stores across 23 states. Tractor Supply re-branded the pet-exclusive chain to Petsense by Tractor Supply in August 2022.
As of June 29, there were 209 Petsense by Tractor Supply stores across 23 states, according to the earnings report. After the 74 store closures, there will be 135 locations remaining.
Petsense offers pet toys and food, grooming supplies, and a small assortment of rodents, reptiles, and fish. They also offer on-site pet adoptions and grooming.
The company told USA TODAY its customers will still have access to Tractor Supply stores, Petsense.com, Tractorsupply.com, Allivet pharmacy and VIP Petcare services where available.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatoday.com.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 8 Florida Petsense locations to close out of 74 across US
