The Barkery paw logo The Barkery

The Barkery

From Grooming Success to Boarding Expansion

Sparta, Michigan Investor Presentation 2026
CW
Chris Woodfin
KM
Katie Merryman
Who We Are

Built on Trust, Grown by Community

CW

Chris Woodfin — Co-Founder

Passionate about animals and community-focused service. Brings hands-on operational expertise and deep local relationships across Kent County.

KM

Katie Merryman — Co-Founder

The heart of The Barkery's brand. Katie built the loyal client base from day one, driving repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals across Sparta.

2020The Barkery opens
5 YearsContinuous growth
$290K+Total grooming revenue
100%Repeat-driven clientele
"We've outgrown grooming alone — our clients are asking us for boarding, and the demand is pulling us to expand." — Chris & Katie
Grooming Revenue Growth — 5 Year History
Market Gap

Sparta Has a Dog Boarding Problem

Kent County pet owners love their dogs — but when they travel, there's nowhere safe, modern, or trustworthy to leave them.

Demand is surging.
Supply is frozen.

* Estimates based on owner observations and competitor research. Update with verified figures.

🐾
2+ Wks Average waitlist at Ruff Life and Whiskers during peak seasons
📈
35% Rise in pet ownership in Kent County since 2020
🏠
0 Modern boarding facilities within 15 miles of downtown Sparta
Market Opportunity

A $4.6B Industry Growing in Our Backyard

Market Sizing (USD Millions)
🇺🇸
$136B+ U.S. Pet Industry (2025) The American Pet Products Association projects continued annual growth of 6–8%. Boarding & grooming is the fastest-growing segment.
🐕
Kent County — Underserved & Ready [PLACEHOLDER] Estimated [X,XXX] registered dogs in Kent County. [X]% of owners report needing boarding services at least 2x per year.
💰
Avg. Boarding Spend: $55–$85/night Premium boarding facilities command $65–$85/night in comparable Michigan markets. The Barkery's brand and reputation allow premium positioning.
🏆
First-Mover Advantage No modern boarding competitor within 15 miles of Sparta. We enter with 5 years of brand equity and a pre-built customer base.
Competitive Analysis

We've Studied the Best. Now We're Building Better.

Feature Ruff Life
Kent City		 Whiskers & Wags
Grand Rapids		 The Barkery
Sparta (Expanding)
Professional Grooming Limited ✓ Full Service ✓ Core Business — 5 Yrs
Overnight Boarding ✓ ✓ ✓ Expanding
Dog Daycare ✓ ✓ ✓ Planned
Indoor Play Areas Basic ✓ Premium ✓ Premium Planned
Outdoor Run Space Limited ✓ ✓ Dedicated Outdoor Run
Membership / Packages ✗ ✓ ✓ Loyalty Program Planned
Local Brand Recognition Regional Urban Only ✓ Deep Sparta / Kent County Roots
Current Capacity Issue Waitlisted Waitlisted ✓ New — Ready to Absorb Demand

✓ = Yes  |  ✗ = No / Not Available  |  Partial = Limited offering. Competitor data based on public listings and owner observations.

The Solution

The Barkery Boarding Facility

🏗️
Property Identified in Sparta, MI [PLACEHOLDER — Property Address, Sparta MI] — Ideal location for accessibility and visibility. Lease / purchase under negotiation.
🐶
20+ Individual Boarding Kennels [PLACEHOLDER — exact count TBD] Private, climate-controlled kennels with individual bedding and enrichment. No cage stacking.
🌿
Dedicated Outdoor Run & Play Areas Fenced outdoor run for supervised exercise. Separate areas by dog size/temperament. Modeled after best practices at Ruff Life and Whiskers.
✂️
Grooming Suites — Existing Expertise Two professional grooming suites carried forward from The Barkery's core business, generating day-one revenue from existing clientele.
📱
Online Booking & Client Portal Modern scheduling software with client photo updates, health tracking, and package management. Professional from day one.
🐾

The Barkery
Boarding & Grooming

[Property Address], Sparta MI

Built on 5 years of grooming trust
Modeled after proven competitors
First modern facility in the area

✓ Property Identified
✓ Founders Experienced & Local
Proven Traction

$290,000+ in Grooming Revenue. Real Business. Real Demand.

$290,000 5-Year Cumulative Grooming Revenue
5 Years of
Operations
~80% Repeat
Client Rate
[XXX] Active Loyal
Clients
Year-over-Year Revenue Growth (2021–2025)

* Chart reflects placeholder values totaling $290K+. Update initChartYoY() in charts.js with actual annual figures.

Facility Design

What We're Building

Grooming
Suite A Existing Revenue · 2 Stations
▼ Entry · Reception
& Check-In Client Intake · Retail Display
Retail
Display Products · Accessories
Grooming
Suite B Expanded Capacity
Boarding Wing
Kennels 1–12 Individual · Climate-Controlled
Kennels
13–[XX] Private Suite Option
Staff & Utility Laundry · Storage · Break Room
Outdoor Run & Play Area Fenced · Supervised · Turf Surface ·
Business Model

Three Revenue Streams. One Trusted Brand.

✂️ Grooming Services Baths, haircuts, nail trims — core business since 2020 $290K proven · Growing YoY
🏠 Boarding & Daycare Overnight stays + full-day daycare packages $0 today → $780K projected Y5
🛍️ Retail & Add-Ons Pet products, bandanas, treats, memberships $40K projected Y1 · Recurring
The Barkery Pet Grooming & Boarding
Monthly Recurring Revenue $120K+ / mo Projected by Year 3
Scalable Unit Economics ~62% Gross Margin Post-ramp boarding operations
Financial Projections

Year 1 to Year 5 — A Clear Path to Profitability

Stacked Revenue by Stream (Y1 = 2026 · Y5 = 2030)

* Projections are forward-looking estimates. Update with your actual financial model.

$430,000 Year 1 Total Revenue Grooming + early boarding ramp
$1,450,000 Year 5 Total Revenue All three streams at capacity
[Month X] Breakeven Timeline Projected cash-flow positive

Conservative assumptions: 60% kennel occupancy by Month 18 · Grooming revenue +8% YoY · No new locations factored

Capital Allocation

How We Deploy $600,000

Total Raise: $600,000
Facility Build-Out & Construction Kennel construction, flooring, plumbing, HVAC, outdoor run
$265,000 44%
Equipment & Fixtures Kennels, grooming tables, dryers, security cameras, fencing
$120,000 20%
Working Capital & Operating Reserve 6-month runway · Staff payroll · Utilities during ramp-up
$85,000 14%
Marketing & Grand Opening Branding, website, local advertising, soft launch events
$60,000 10%
Technology & Systems Booking software, POS, client portal, security systems
$40,000 7%
Branding & Design Services Fractional design leadership · Identity · Digital presence
$30,000 5%

We Are Raising

$600,000

for 15% equity

$4,000,000 Post-Money Valuation
[X.Xx] Projected 5-Yr Return
on conservative model
Real Estate Asset-Backed Security
property + equipment
Day One Revenue from Grooming
existing business continues
Risk Management

We've Anticipated the Hard Questions

📊

Demand Risk

Demand has been validated by 5 years of grooming traction, competitor waitlists, and growing pet ownership. We're not building a concept — we're meeting existing, unmet demand.

Demand Validated
🏗️

Construction Risk

Property identified and under negotiation. Contractor bids in process. Budget includes a 10–15% contingency reserve for construction cost overruns.

Budgeted Contingency
🧑‍💼

Operator Risk

Chris and Katie have 5 years of hands-on operational experience. They are not first-time business owners. They have built repeat-client loyalty and understand this market deeply.

Experienced Operators
🐾

Market Risk

Ruff Life and Whiskers both operate profitably in comparable Michigan markets with identical models. Our lower-cost Sparta location and existing brand reduce market entry risk significantly.

Model Proven Locally
Execution Roadmap

Investment to Grand Opening — 12 Months

Q2 2026 Capital Close Investment secured · Lease signed · Legal complete
Q3 2026 Permits & Construction Contractor engaged · Build-out begins · Equipment ordered
Q4 2026 Boarding Soft Open Founding clients · Grooming continues · Waitlist opens
Q1 2027 Grand Opening Full capacity · Marketing push · Membership launch
Q4 2027 Cash-Flow Positive Breakeven crossed · Investor return begins accruing

Let's Build
Something Great
for Sparta.

The Barkery is already a beloved local business. With your partnership, we become the region's premier pet care destination — and a strong return on your investment.

Co-Founder Chris Woodfin [Phone] · [Email]
Co-Founder Katie Merryman [Phone] · [Email]
Business The Barkery LLC [Website] · Sparta, MI
Fractional Design Leader David Brand · Identity · Digital
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