Penn-Plax

Penn-Plax began in 1956 when Marvin and Anita Goldman opened a pet shop in Brooklyn. As the business moved into manufacturing during the 1960s, it used a facility on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the Penn-Plax name emerged from that stage of expansion. Jerry Rosen joined in 1959 and became important to the company’s later growth, but the available history distinguishes his arrival from the original founding by the Goldmans.

Aquatics remains a core part of the catalogue: internal and hang-on filters, aeration, heating, cleaning accessories, foods, ornaments, and themed decorations. The company is not confined to ornamental fish, however, and also develops products for birds, small animals, reptiles, dogs, and cats. That breadth reflects its evolution from a family pet shop into a broad pet-product manufacturer and distributor.

Penn-Plax now operates as a family-owned business headquartered in Hauppauge, New York. Its corporate profile emphasizes product development, licensing, and distribution across several pet categories, while its historical account retains the link to local retail in Brooklyn. The continuity of family ownership, product work, and specialist retail helps explain the name’s longevity, while keeping the 1956 shop opening distinct from the later adoption of the Penn-Plax brand.