Retailer Maxi Zoo expands its Irish footprint.
Expansion boosted by surge in sales of 20% driven by pandemic pet ownership.
Europe’s number one pet retailer Maxi Zoo is set to open its 21st Irish store in Sligo with the creation of 15 new jobs.
With 1,700 stores across Europe, Maxi Zoo is the leading specialty retailer for animal food and accessories, offering exclusive brands, personal consultations for pet owners and the most extensive product range with over 8,000 products.
Maxi Zoo’s exciting expansion and success aligns with its record sales, up by 20%, aligned to the spike in pet ownership, a key trend from the pandemic. The lockdown has seen owners turning to their pets for comfort and companionship which has driven investment in pet food, products, and accessories.
Its new 7,000 square foot store, centrally located in Sligo Retail Park will officially open to the public Thursday, 9th September and will be the first of two new stores for the retailer to open in the West of Ireland.
“This is a really exciting new store opening for Maxi Zoo as our first step to realising our ambition to extend our offering, first-class customer service and vast product range to pet owners in the West of Ireland,” said Enrico De Luca, Country Manager for Maxi Zoo Ireland.
“This marks a new chapter for the business and signals our strategy for continued growth.
Over the last 18 months, we have seen our business and sales boosted dramatically with more new pet owners and existing pet owners having a greater desire and disposable income to treat their pets. It’s been wonderful to see the bond that owners have with their pets become even stronger throughout the challenges and uncertainty we’ve faced.”
“Choosing the dynamic region of Sligo in the heart of the North West was a natural first choice of location. Our new store in Sligo will be closely followed with another large store opening in the South West with further plans for expanding Maxi Zoo’s retail network over the coming 12 months.”
Since its first store opening in Ballincollig, Cork 15 years ago, Maxi Zoo has become the number one pet retailer in Ireland with over 170 staff including fully-trained, in-store pet experts available to share their knowledge with pet and potential pet owners. Maxi Zoo stores are equally welcoming of pets in-store and provide a free pet weighing service.
Maxi Zoo Sligo store manager Rory Farrell added: “We are so excited to open the doors and to welcome pet owners and their pets in our store. We are always on hand to offer advice on food, as well as coat and harness fitting and a free weight check for your dog. We really do have everything a pet parent might need – after all, happier pets, happier people.”
Maxi Zoo will celebrate the opening of its Sligo store with a Spend and Save Incentive from 9th – 12th September and lots of fun and exciting in-store and outdoor activities for all the family including a photo booth, in-store DJ, balloon modeller, magician and hourly raffle prizes planned for Saturday 11th September.
For more information visit maxizoo.ie