Mackey's, Inc.

What Mackey's, Inc. does

Mackey's, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned retail chain founded in 1968 by Jim and Betty Mackey in Willimantic, Connecticut, after they purchased the Purina Checkerboard Store. The company operates three physical retail locations in Connecticut (Willimantic, Colchester, and Woodstock) and an e-commerce storefront launched in 2019 at mackeysgrows.com, built on the Shopify platform. The business is now in its third generation of family ownership.

The company sells a broad assortment of consumer products across six primary categories: pet food and supplies (dog, cat, and small animal), farm and livestock feed and supplies (horses, goats, poultry, rabbits), wild bird and wildlife products, lawn and garden supplies (soils, fertilizers, seeds, tools, pest control), live goods (trees, shrubs, annuals, houseplants), and outdoor power equipment (as an authorized EGO Power+ dealer). The product mix combines high-frequency consumables (pet food, feed, bird seed) with seasonal and higher-ticket items (bulk mulch and stone, live plants, power equipment).

Mackey's generates revenue primarily through one-time retail transactions across in-store and online channels, supplemented by recurring revenue through the Easy Autoship subscription program and the Friends of Mackey's Club loyalty program. Pricing is unit-based with a $49 free-delivery threshold and a $5 shipping fee below that threshold; deliveries are fulfilled by company-operated trucks for local orders and FedEx, UPS, and USPS for out-of-area shipments. The customer base consists of four personas — pet owners, farm and livestock owners, home gardeners, and wild bird enthusiasts — all residential consumers in Connecticut and adjacent regions, with no named enterprise or institutional accounts.

Name

Mackey's, Inc.

Legal name

Mackey's, Inc.

Website

https://www.mackeysgrows.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mackey's, Inc. is a family-owned retail chain operating since 1968 in Connecticut, with three stores and a Shopify e-commerce platform selling pet, farm, livestock, wild bird, lawn, and garden supplies to local homeowners via delivery, curbside pickup, and subscription services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet & Garden Retail

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)

akta.pro primary industry

General Pet Supplies Retail (Multi-category) (CRALAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet Food & Treats Retail (CRALAHAB), Pet Supplies Omnichannel (CRAFAEAJ)

Keywords

• Pet food supplies
• Farm livestock feed
• Lawn garden supplies
• Wild bird products
• Home hardware retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Willimantic

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: The company generates revenue through physical retail stores and e-commerce platform sales of pet supplies (dog/cat/small animal food and products), farm and livestock supplies (feed, bedding, tack), wild bird products (seed, feeders, accessories), lawn and garden supplies (plants, soils, fertilizers, tools), and related home products. The business operates on a one-time transaction model for individual purchases with subscription potential through the Easy Autoship program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mackey's, Inc. operates a third-generation, family-owned retail chain selling pet food, livestock feed, lawn and garden supplies, wild bird products, and home hardware across three brick-and-mortar stores in Willimantic, Colchester, and Woodstock, Connecticut. The company supplements in-store retail with an e-commerce platform, curbside pickup, and local delivery, serving pet owners, farmers, and homeowners in eastern Connecticut.

Product overview

Mackey's, Inc. is a family-owned retail chain operating three brick-and-mortar stores in Connecticut (Colchester, Willimantic, Woodstock) plus an e-commerce platform. The company offers a diverse portfolio of products organized into distinct categories: Pet Food & Supplies (dog, cat, small animal products), Farm/Livestock Feed & Supplies (horses, goats, chickens, rabbits), Wild Bird Food & Supplies, Garden Supplies & Equipment, Live Goods/Plants, Soils & Amendments, Lawn Care Products, EGO Power Equipment, and Mulch/Landscaping Materials. The business also provides ancillary services including Home Delivery (free over $49), Curbside Pickup, and an Easy Autoship subscription program. The company operates on a Shopify e-commerce platform and was founded in 1968, celebrating 58 years of service as of 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friends of Mackey's Club: Loyalty rewards program offering sales, coupons, and special offers to members.
• Easy Autoship

Products and services

• Subscribe & Save Program
• Retail Pet Supplies
• Retail Farm & Livestock Feed
• Retail Lawn & Garden Supplies
• Retail Wild Bird Products
• Retail Home Hardware
• E-commerce Online Store
• Curbside Pickup Service
• Local Home Delivery

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• EGO Power+minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMackey's is an authorized EGO Power+ dealer offering power equipment and related accessories. The partnership includes dedicated product sections on the Mackey's website and EGO warranty inspection services performed in-store.
• Purina MillsminorOthersHistorical partnership: Jim Mackey worked as a regional salesman for Purina Mills Corporation before purchasing the Purina Checkerboard Store in Willimantic, CT in 1968, which became the original Mackey's store.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Tractor Supply Company: National farm and rural lifestyle retailer carrying livestock feed, pet supplies, lawn and garden products across 2,000+ stores. Directly comparable to Mackey's on the farm/livestock and pet categories, but operates at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Pet Supplies Plus: Regional pet supplies retail chain in the Northeast/Midwest with neighborhood store formats carrying pet food, treats, and supplies. Directly comparable to Mackey's pet category offering but at larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Chewy: Leading online pure-play pet retailer offering pet food, supplies, and pharmaceuticals with nationwide delivery and autoship. Comparable to Mackey's online pet business but operates at massive scale with significant pricing and assortment advantages.
• PetSmart: National specialty pet retail chain offering pet food, supplies, grooming, and services with both physical stores and a robust online channel. Comparable on pet assortment and omnichannel motion, but with national scale and broader service offerings.
• Home Depot: National home improvement retailer with extensive lawn, garden, and outdoor living assortments. Directly comparable to Mackey's lawn/garden, live plants, and outdoor equipment categories, but at vastly larger scale with broader geographic reach.
• Petco: National specialty pet retailer offering pet food, supplies, grooming, veterinary services, and live animals with omnichannel capabilities. Comparable to Mackey's on pet food, supplies, and small animal categories at much larger scale.
• Lowe's: National home improvement retailer carrying lawn care, gardening, plants, and outdoor power equipment including competitive assortments to Mackey's garden supplies category. Comparable at scale but lacks the pet and farm/livestock depth.

Regional players

• Agway: Northeast US farm, pet, and garden retailer with a heritage comparable to Mackey's, offering livestock feed, pet food, lawn and garden supplies. Closest direct competitor given overlapping regional footprint, family-owned heritage, and similar product mix.

Direct peers

• Wild Birds Unlimited: Specialty franchise retailer focused on wild bird seed, feeders, and wildlife products with a curated, expert-driven model similar to Mackey's wild bird category. Comparable because both compete on category expertise and customer education rather than price.
• Rural King: Regional farm and home retailer carrying livestock feed, pet supplies, lawn and garden, and outdoor equipment across the Midwest and Southeast. Directly comparable to Mackey's multi-category rural lifestyle offering at a larger but still regional scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mackeysgrows

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mackey's, Inc.