Franchise Focus
Why South African pet retailers wrapped paws around Mutts Canine Cantina
Pavan and Deeve Shree are opening the first franchised location of the fast casual cantina and dog park.
June 30, 2021 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
To say that Pavan and Deeva Shree understand the U.S. pet market would be an understatement.
Two years after meeting and marrying in their homeland of South Africa, the duo immigrated in 2018 to Dallas, and instantly recognized the abundance of dogs living in the area. Armed with the knowledge that the average American spends nearly $1,500 annually on their fur babies, the couple knew their new home was ripe for a pet-focused business. After a little research, they decided to become franchisees of Earthwise Pet, a 50-unit nutrition center and wellness spa, opening their first store in Richardson.
Proving that they were barking up the right tree with the business idea, the Shrees added a second location in Allen's Watters Creek and began thinking about how to expand their pet empire.
"While driving around one night we noticed a lively dog park in the heart of Uptown," Pavan said during an interview with FastCasual. "At first, we thought this was just a regular dog park but after visiting Mutts, we were so intrigued by the off-leash dog park, restaurant, and bar concept, that we became regulars."
What the couple had discovered was Mutts Canine Cantina, a hybrid between a fast casual concept and a dog park created by FreeRange Concepts, a restaurant company founded by Kyle Noonan and Josh Sepkowitz.
Mutts has two corporate locations and is now franchising the concept, which will open soon in Austin, New Braunfels and El Paso, Texas, as well as Denver, Colorado, and Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona.
After starting their own company aimed at investing in other pet-related businesses, the Shrees found themselves visiting Mutts Canine Cantina to brainstorm ideas, not yet realizing that their next big venture was right under their snouts.
"From enjoying the company of dog lovers and supporting the various charity events hosted at the park, we saw first-handed how much millennials invest in the care of their pets, and because of that, we knew we wanted to be a part of the growing pet industry and join Mutts franchise team," Deeva said.
Sniffing out the perfect spot
The duo's location is opening by summer's end in Watters Creek, just one-quarter of a mile down the street from its second Earthwise location, on 1.5 acres with a 1,500- square-foot cantina.
"Our Park consists of a small and large dog park, adjacent to the two covered eating areas that are on either side of the cantina, Pavan said. "We looked for a minimum acre of unused space in a highly dense residential area with multi-family units in close proximity."
That criterion led the Shrees to Watters Creek, which has a similar vibe as their hometown.
"My wife and I are formally from South Africa and Watters Creek's European style of life, work and play mixed-use environment is something that we are used to back in South Africa, so we knew that it would be the right fit for a Mutts Cantina," Pavan said.
"We have a wonderful team of passionate sales associates led by two great managers at each location who oversee the daily operations," Deeva said. "This allows us to split our time between the two franchises."
Michelle Boggs, Mutts managing partner and franchise development, is just as confident.
"I think the Shree's are excellent partners as they are passionate dog lovers and established franchisees already with Earthwise," she told FastCasual.
The Shrees hope to eventually become Mutts multi-unit franchise owners, adding locations across the DFW area.
"Mutts is a space that bridges the gap between dog parks and restaurants by offering a social space for both dogs and their owners to enjoy and is also a great investment opportunity," Deeva said.
The franchise fees for a Mutts location start at $40,000 per unit, and the total investment of a location ranges from $1.4 million to $1.7 million, Boggs said.
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