Petco to Buy 2 More Chains; 3rd Deal Closes

Petco Animal Supplies Inc. agreed to buy two New England pet supply retail chains, Pet Supply Depot and Just for Pets, and has completed the purchase of the Southern California chain Super Pets.

The San Diego-based company paid about $23.5 million in cash for the three chains. The two latest transactions are scheduled to close in mid-November.

Petco shares rose $1.75 to $27 on Nasdaq.

Pet Supply Depot, Just for Pets and Super Pets have a combined 25 stores with annual sales of about $60 million. The average store size is 12,500 square feet.

Pet Supply Depot operates 17 stores: 11 in Massachusetts, five in Connecticut and one in New Hampshire. Just for Pets has six stores: three in Massachusetts, two in New Hampshire and one in Rhode Island. Super Pets operates two stores, in San Gabriel and Upland.

The addition of Pet Supply Depot and Just for Pets will boost Petco’s store total to 255, including 169 superstores in 15 states and the District of Columbia.