Petland Fort Myers Named 2026 Petland Store Of The Year

(PRESS RELEASE) ORLANDO, FL — Petland has named Petland Fort Myers its 2026 Store of the Year, recognizing the Florida franchise for exceptional business performance, operational excellence, customer service, and community commitment.

The award was presented during Petland’s annual Awards Banquet held in conjunction with the company’s 2026 Trade Show, held in Orlando. The honor recognizes the top-performing store across nine key performance categories, including year-over-year sales growth, profitability, financial reporting, operational performance, customer reviews, participation in training, support of company marketing and private-label programs, and community involvement.

Although Petland Fort Myers has served the Southwest Florida community for more than 25 years, the recognition comes just over a year after ownership transitioned to Tom, Camille and Brad Popplewell, making the achievement especially noteworthy in only their second year as Petland franchisees.

Under the Popplewell family’s leadership, the store achieved an impressive 21% year-over-year increase in sales while demonstrating excellence across every evaluation category.

“When they announced our name, my first thought was all the hard work that went into this,” said owner Tom Popplewell (pictured far left). “It represents the dedication of our entire team. Everyone has embraced a mindset of continuous improvement, and this recognition belongs to every member of our staff.”

Following their first Petland Trade Show as owners in 2025, the Popplewell family returned home committed to strengthening every aspect of the business. The team expanded store hours, enhanced sales training, invested in leadership development, and focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience.

“This award reflects what can happen when outstanding leadership is combined with a dedicated team and a commitment to continual improvement,” said Steve Steele, Petland’s chief operating officer. “Petland Fort Myers has demonstrated excellence across every area of the business while remaining focused on serving its customers and community.”

Three additional stores were recognized as 2026 Store of the Year finalists: Petland Frisco, Texas, owned by Jake and Arti Patel; Petland Novi, Michigan, owned by Alaina Markel; and Petland Lake Saint Louis, Missouri, owned by Tom and Mary Killmade and Jeff Hartmann. Each store demonstrated exceptional operational performance and a strong commitment to the Petland system.

The annual Store of the Year award recognizes franchisees who exemplify the highest standards of operational excellence, financial stewardship, customer satisfaction, employee development, and community engagement while helping to advance the Petland brand nationwide.

About Petland, Inc

Petland, Inc. is a specialty pet retail franchise operation with nearly 300 worldwide locations. Petland has stores located in Canada, Brazil, China, El Salvador, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the U.S.A. For nearly 60 years, Petland pet counselors have been dedicated to matching the right pet with the right customer and meeting the needs of both. To its customers who already have pets, Petland is dedicated to enhancing their knowledge and enjoyment of the human-animal bond. Petland was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in south central Ohio. For more information about Petland, visit www.petland.com.