Bristol-based Williams Gunter Hardwick has been appointed to advise on 18 retail outlets around the country, following the buy-out of Just For Pets – which went into administration in September.
Just for Pets has been acquired by Pedigree Wholesale Limited, facilitated through its newly-formed sister company PSR Trading Limited, which itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gamston Kennels and Farms Limited.
The 18 stores, which vary in size up to 5,000 sq ft, will continue to trade under the name Just for Pets. Williams Gunter Hardwick will be looking to secure terms that will ensure the stores can be viable in the long term and the jobs of the 180 staff working in them are protected.
The locations set to continue operations include stores in Bristol, Coventry, Telford, Wolverhampton, Worcester and Birmingham.
The move is a significant one for Pedigree Wholesale Limited as it represents their first venture into direct retailing. The family-owned business, established in 1972, is one of the top three wholesalers in the country supplying over two thousand pet stores with over twelve thousand different products.
The company recently won the PetQuip Business of the Year, having previously won Wholesaler of the Year for the last three years running, Best New Dog Accessory & Gift Product and the company’s Chairman and founder, Terry Brown, received the PetQuip Lifetime Achievement Award.
“The company is profitable, well backed and focused on stable growth,” says Bridget Hardwick, Director of Williams Gunter Hardwick. “It also has a strong name amongst consumers, so it can really bring something extra to the locations where they trade.
“We are now entering individual discussions with the landlords of the 18 properties.”
“To be running our own stores is an exciting move for us,” says Steve Brown, Managing Director of Pedigree Wholesale. “We have established a good reputation with pet owners nationwide, and we’ll be building on this with a range of quality products – including several exclusive to our newly acquired stores as well as our own branded products.”