San Francisco’s last remaining PetSmart is calling it quits next week, taking with it one of the city’s biggest dog daycares and a go-to spot for pet boarding, training and adoptions.
The City Center store on Geary Boulevard is set to close on Sunday, July 19, ending years as a de facto pet hub for the surrounding neighborhoods. The shutdown will leave local pet owners with fewer in-person options for everything from last-minute dog boarding to obedience classes. PetSmart says employees affected by the closure will be offered transition resources and information about job opportunities at nearby locations.
As first reported by SFGATE, PetSmart confirmed the planned shutdown in an email and said it is expanding fulfillment capabilities at our Daly City location to help meet the needs of the community."The outlet identifies the store as 2675 Geary Blvd. and notes that services at the Geary location will wind down ahead of the July 19 closing date. Company communications pointed to growing customer adoption of autoship, online ordering and same-day delivery as key reasons for the move.
PetSmart’s own store page lists the San Francisco City Center location at 2675 Geary Blvd. and shows services such as PetsHotel boarding, Doggie Day Camp, training and adoptions, though the site currently marks grooming and some boarding services as temporarily closed; see the listing on PetSmart. The nearby Daly City store at 315 Gellert Blvd. remains open with grooming and PetsHotel services listed on its page on PetSmart.
Industry observers say the Geary closure tracks with a broader trend of retailers trimming their brick-and-mortar footprints as customers move to autoship subscriptions, online ordering and curbside pickup. Fox Business highlighted autoship and same-day delivery as reshaping pet retail, and ownership dynamics may be pushing more investment into fulfillment centers instead of storefronts. PetSmart has been privately held since BC Partners’ 2015 buyout, and BC Partners later brought Apollo in as a strategic investor in 2023, according to BC Partners.
Local reaction and alternatives
Some regulars say the notice felt abrupt. An Instagram user quoted by SFGATE said they were very bummed and worried about the short timing and how well staff would be supported through the transition.
With the Geary store shutting down, SFGate points to smaller neighborhood alternatives, including Pet's Corner at 3701 Geary Blvd. and Rowdy and Archie Pet Shop at 3001 Sacramento St. For many pet owners, the loss hits hardest on the service side, where having a trusted place to board or train a dog on short notice can make or break a work trip or a busy week.
What to expect next
Pet owners who rely on in-store services are being urged to call ahead to the Daly City PetSmart or check the company’s website for updated grooming, boarding and same-day delivery options once the San Francisco City Center location closes on July 19. Local boarding and daycare providers may see a bump in demand as Geary regulars scramble to find new homes for their dogs and cats when they need to be away.
