Petco announces it will close Drs. Foster and Smith, eliminating 289 jobs
Wednesday Petco announced it will close the pet supply company in Rhinelander.
In August, Petco told us it planned to expand its call center and Live Aquaria operations.
The Drs. Foster and Smith store will close to the public on February 12. Its 289 employees will begin to lose their jobs a month later.
None of the employees we spoke with wanted to go on camera, fearing they would face retribution from the company.
Petco bought Drs. Foster and Smith in 2015.
When the founders of the company, Race Foster and Marty Smith, sold to Petco, they did so because they wanted a buyer who would stay in Oneida County and keep jobs in Rhinelander.
In 2015, the Drs. Foster and Smith Internet Marketing Manager told us Petco seemed to be committed to Rhinelander into the future.
The company released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying, in part:
"Taking into account the needs of modern pet parents, shifting consumer preferences and the ongoing evolution of the Petco brand, we believe this will enable us to streamline operations and better focus on our core business and customer."
Not only will the closure affect those 289 people and their families, it will also effect Oneida County.
https://www.wjfw.com/storydetails/20190109204335/petco_announces_it_will_close_drs_foster_and_smith_eliminating_289_jobs