A 6,000

A pair of automotive entrepreneurs recently started a pet supply franchise near Boynton Beach.

Ron Katz and Jerry Kaye opened a 6,000-square-foot Pet Supplies Plus at 4880 Woolbright Road in April and held a grand opening on June 2.

The Pet Supplies Plus, which will employ 18 full and part-time team members and two team leaders, operates in a standalone facility within a brand new Publix shopping center, a spokesman for the entrepreneurs said.

The building appears to be part of a 17.6-acre property that includes a 78,282-square-foot retail center at 11300 S. Military Trail. In February the land was sold to Boynton Shopping Center LLC, managed by Boca Raton real estate investor Yevgeniy Yermakov, for $41 million.

Trinity Real Estate and Pet Supplies Plus negotiated a lease on behalf of the Katz and Kaye.

Katz moved to South Florida from Long Island, New York 20 years ago and spent most of his career in the auto industry, running car dealerships and repair shops. Fellow Long Islander Kaye owned auto repair shops as well as private schools, teen travel camps, and a restaurant promotions company. Katz and Kaye currently own three Midas auto service center franchises in Florida, a spokeswoman said.

Founded in 1988, Pet Supplies Plus has 700 locations in 42 states, including eight in South Florida. The company was acquired by Orlando-based Franchise Group (Nasdaq: FRG) for $700 million in January 2021.

South Florida retail market has prospered since the pandemic as more high-net worth individuals and families migrate to the region to escape state income taxes and enjoy decent weather.

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