Which American pet supply retailer was founded in 1986 in Phoenix, Arizona? The answer is PetSmart.
PetSmart began in 1986 through the work of Jim and Janice Dougherty, who developed a chain concept centered on discount pet-food warehouses. The first two stores opened in the Phoenix area in 1987 under the name PetFood Warehouse, selling pet food in bulk at low prices.
The company changed its name to PetSmart as it expanded beyond its warehouse beginnings. Its stores later combined products with services such as grooming, training, boarding, daycare, veterinary clinics operated by third parties, and adoption programs supported by animal-welfare groups.
The founding date can cause confusion because incorporation and store openings occurred in different years: the business was founded in 1986, while its first two Phoenix-area stores opened in 1987. Petco is a major competitor, but it is not the retailer described by this question.