PHOENIX, March 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to franchising, Dogtopia not only has bark – it has bite. The fast-growing dog daycare and wellness franchise is kicking off 2022 in an impressive way, announcing today it has secured the largest franchise agreement in company history, which will bring 60 new locations to cities across the U.S. over the next several years.
Behind the massive deal is Jamie Weeks, an existing Dogtopia franchisee in Portland, and Prospect Hill Growth Partners, a Boston-area private equity firm, who partnered to form Legacy Franchise Concepts (LFC) and spearhead the development. LFC has also purchased the rights to Weeks' current 15 Dogtopia licenses in Oregon, three of which are open, bringing the full scope of the deal to 72 new Dogtopia daycares. Weeks will serve as the executive chairman of LFC.
"This is an exciting day for us all, and we are thrilled to continue the partnership with Jamie and embrace the long-term partnership with Prospect Hill Growth Partners as we work together to deliver our unmatched daycare services to more dogs and parents," said Neil Gill, CEO of Dogtopia. "We believe this large-scale agreement with PHGP validates Dogtopia's compelling unit economics for single and multi-unit franchise partners to grow with us in other available territories."
In addition to the Portland market, Legacy Franchise Concepts will be developing Dogtopia daycare centers in multiple cities including Las Vegas, NV; San Diego, CA; Cincinnati, OH; Tampa, FL; Chattanooga, TN; Little Rock, AR; Huntsville, AL; Augusta, GA; and Columbia, SC. The group plans to open at least eight daycare centers per year.
"After opening three successful daycares, I am looking forward to growing even more with Dogtopia over the next several years," said Weeks. "I believe strongly in Dogtopia's mission of canine wellness and know that together, we can make a positive impact on the booming pet industry."
"We're excited to invest alongside Jamie in LFC, a platform with multiple legs for growth," says Jeff Teschke, Partner at PHGP. "The team and culture at LFC truly set the organization apart, and we look forward to accelerating growth at Dogtopia and other leading consumer brands over the next several years. Our experience with both Orangetheory Fitness and Crunch Fitness will help establish a strong foundation for another world-class platform delivering exceptional consumer experiences."
With more than 185 locations across North America, Dogtopia is the nation's fastest-growing brand in the booming pet services industry, recently ranked at #51 on Entrepreneur Magazine's Annual Franchise 500 list. The ultimate destination for improving the physical and mental well-being of dogs and pet parents, Dogtopia helps our furry friends live long, healthy, and happy lives with services that address canine wellness in a holistic manner. At Dogtopia, dogs enjoy an open-play environment with comfortable rubber flooring to ease joints and paws, refreshing spa services, and nose to tail inspections among other perks, promoting safe socialization, exercise, and education. Dogtopia's services are all-inclusive with top-quality meals prepared according to each pet parent's request, or pet parents can bring their own food. Dogtopia's webcams also provide pet parents with peace of mind and the ability to check in on their pups when they are away.
The Dogtopia franchise family is composed of both single-unit and multi-unit operators, including husband and wife teams, father and daughter/son duos, siblings, and many different types of business owners. For more information about Dogtopia in general or the franchise opportunity, visit www.dogtopia.com.
About Dogtopia
Founded in 2002, Dogtopia is an early pioneer and innovator in the pet services industry, offering an experience focused on wellness, quality of care, safety and transparency in the market. The ultimate destination for improving the physical and mental well-being of dogs and pet parents, Dogtopia helps our furry friends live long, healthy, and happy lives with services that address canine wellness in a holistic manner. Pet parents have the assurance of leaving their beloved furry family members in the hands of trained professionals in an environment created with the safety of dogs in mind, including an open-play environment with comfortable rubber flooring to ease joints and paws, top quality meals and snacks, as well as webcams for pet parents to check in on their pups. For more information, visit www.dogtopia.com.
About Legacy Franchise Concepts
Legacy Franchise Concepts (LFC), a partner of Prospect Hill Growth Partners, invests in health, wellness and lifestyle brands across the franchise landscape. Founded by Jamie Weeks, Atlanta-based LFC's portfolio includes SweatHouz infrared sauna studios and Dogtopia, the leading provider of dog daycare in North America. For more information, please visit: legacyfranchiseconcepts.com.
About Prospect Hill Growth Partners, L.P.
Prospect Hill Growth Partners (www.prospecthillgrowth.com) is a Boston-area private equity firm that makes control equity investments in North American consumer and healthcare growth companies. The partners at Prospect Hill have collectively invested $3 billion of capital in more than 35 portfolio companies over two decades. The partners successful investment track record has been built on their sector-focused investment strategy and expertise, a robust operational value-add model, and strong alignment of interests.