Pet Valu In Owings Mills To Permanently Close

OWINGS MILLS, MD — Pet supply chain Pet Valu announced Wednesday that all its domestic stores would be closing. This includes the location in Owings Mills in the St. Thomas Shopping Center.

Jamie Gould, who was recently appointed as the company's chief restructuring officer, cited a decline in sales related to the coronavirus.

"The Pet Valu U.S. team is proud to have met the needs of our devoted pet lover customers in the U.S. for more than 25 years," Gould said in a news release. "However, the company's stores have been significantly impacted by the protracted COVID-19-related restrictions. After a thorough review of all available alternatives, we made the difficult but necessary decision to commence this orderly wind down."

Closing sales will begin Thursday, Nov. 5. Customers with Pet Valu gift cards are encouraged to use them by Sunday, Dec. 13. Gift cards cannot be exchanged for cash. Stores may close earlier than the end of the year if inventory sells out quickly, a staffer told Patch.

Pet Valu specializes in pet supplies and nutritional consultations. Stores are equipped with dog washes.

The company has been around for about four decades, according to its website. In 2016, the chain merged with Pet Supermarket to become one of the largest retail operations in North America with nearly 1,200 stores.

Pet Valu is at 9910 Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills.

— By Peter Blanchard, Chris Dehnel and Elizabeth Janney