Hounds Town USA offers an affordable and simple approach to pet care, with services such as an interactive doggie daycare, overnight boarding, a pet spa, retail products, and even extra fun rides in the pet taxi. By Cindy Charette

Hounds Town USA offers an affordable and simple approach to pet care, with services such as an interactive doggie daycare, overnight boarding, a pet spa, retail products, and even extra fun rides in the pet taxi.

After opening a location with a partner in Island Park, New York, Jimmy Farrelly came up with the idea to bring two families together to invest in another Hounds Town USA franchise. In 2017, the team of five opened Hounds Town Commack Road in Deer Park and has plans to open another location in Smithtown in late 2022.

One member of that team, Michael Schneider, explained that, although the division of responsibilities was a learning process at first, everyone had an idea of the roles they wanted. Since Hounds Town USA breaks down the business procedures so well, it was easy for each member to follow the structured system. Their responsibilities were divided as follows:

  • Michael Schneider, operations manager
  • Jeff Schneider, Michael’s father, customer-service representative/consultant
  • Jimmy Farrelly, business consultant
  • Holly Farrelly, Jimmy’s sister-in-law, marketing/in-store management
  • Eileen Peterson, Jimmy’s mother-in-law, building maintenance/consultant.

Along with a staff of 12 pet-loving employees, the team operates a 5,500-square-foot facility with 50 to 70 dogs per day. Pet birthdays and holiday-themed “PAWties” are celebrated, with sometimes over 100 dogs in attendance and are always a big hit with customers, staff and, especially, the dogs.

With the team’s combination of talent and experience, as well as the support of their franchisor behind them, their business runs so smoothly that they have all been able to achieve a healthy work-life balance. Jimmy consults as needed, and Eileen and Jeff have taken on a more silent role, while consulting at times. By sharing a managing partner role with Holly, Michael can spend more time with his wife and three young children and focus on his other interests as an entrepreneur, real estate investor, and air-traffic controller.

Michael said: “We are a family of store owners, but Hounds Town USA makes it seem like we’re family throughout the entire system.”

Cindy Charette

Contact: houndstownfranchise.com