Over 3 000 m² in Berlin

With ten large-format stores, “Das Futterhaus“ is the market leader in the pet product trade in the federal capital Berlin. The influence of Harald Mecke’s long pedigree in the food retailing business on his stores is there for all to see: long, high walls of shelving, a massive range of over 30000 products and large areas devoted to promotions. The Futterhaus stores in Berlin look more like hypermarkets than classic pet shops.
Attractive facade: “Das Futterhaus“ in Bremen.
Harald Mecke’s tenth store is in the new Bliesdorf shopping centre to the south-east of the capital and takes up two floors linked by an escalator. Situated in close proximity to familiar establishments such as Kaufmarkt, Dänisches Bettenlager, Drogerie-Müller, McDonalds, Intersport and a branch of the TAD electrical stores, “Das Futterhaus“ needn’t worry about a lack of customers. The shopping centre is well served by public transport, with direct bus and underground connections, as well as having an underground car park with 3 000 parking spaces.
The new Futterhaus store in Berlin is more like a hypermarket than a classic pet shop.
All the familiar and less well-known brands are available in the new store in their entirety, rather than as just one or two products from the range. The store even caters for more specialised interests, such as equestrian sports and – for the first time – angling. As far as presentation is concerned, it is noticeable that food and accessories for a particular group of animals are deliberately juxtaposed, with the aim of prompting additional off-the-cuff purchases. Another practice copied from the hypermarkets is that of displaying products like toys and treats next to the escalator.
Expensive themed backdrops are not especially important to Harald Mecke. In his opinion they just swallow up money without generating any extra sales. Nevertheless, no expense has been spared on impressive pet display housing. Harald Mecke takes his responsibility for the animals in his care very seriously. Thus the live animal departments have their own vet, aided by assistants, and the animals and their accommodation are subjected to regular routine examinations. Dwarf rabbits are only sold once they have been wormed and vaccinated, and all guinea pigs are wormed. Every rodent purchased comes with a vaccination certificate.
With its large range of rodents, fish, birds and reptiles, Harald Mecke’s new Futterhaus store is not unique. Although the company’s founder, Herwig Eggerstedt…