A popular pet store in Chapel Hill — and the broader Triangle community — is changing ownership hands.

Phydeaux, which has been run since its founding in 2002 by Chapel Hill resident Frank Papa, has been sold to Feeders Pet Supply of Kentucky. The sale was initially reported by Louisville Business First on February 24.

“After 20 years, 360 days a year,” Papa told Chapelboro, “of being hands-on in every aspect of the business — from sanding and staining shelf inserts and wiring lights when the first store opened in Carrboro, to IT management, accounting, and product selection and pricing today — I decided it was time for a change.”

Signs hung outside the Chapel Hill location indicate the store, employees and its selection will remain the same, despite the name changing to the Feeders Pet Supply brand. Additionally, the rewards program for the Kentucky chain is carrying over customers’ history from Phydeaux’s loyalty program.

Phydeaux, soon-to-be Feeders Pet Supply, is one of the businesses anchoring Chapel Hill’s Galleria shopping center at 400 South Elliott Road.

The initial Phydeaux store opened on West Weaver Street in 2002 before moving to its current Chapel Hill space off South Elliott Road in 2008. All three of the business’ locations, in Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Cary, are part of the deal and represent the Louisville-based Feeders Pet Supply first branches in North Carolina. Beyond Kentucky, the chain’s dozens of other locations are in Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

Papa cited his personal plans to move from the Chapel Hill area, as well as the challenges of running an independent retail business, as motivation for the sale. He told Louisville Business First that it was “hard to walk away” from Phydeaux, but that he believes the store will be “in good hands.”

“My point in creating Phydeaux was to demonstrate that a retail business could be run ethically and profitably at the same time,” Papa said to Chapelboro, “while being an active part of the local community, and I think that I succeeded at proving that was possible for more than 20 years. I’m proud of what I accomplished along with all of my amazing staff over the years.”

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