Real Wagbar Franchise Owners: Stories, Backgrounds, and What Owning a Pet Franchise Is Like

Top TLDR: Wagbar franchise owners come from careers in financial services, IT sales, corporate management, and animal welfare, not from restaurant or pet industry backgrounds. What they share is a passion for dogs and a desire to build something real in their communities. If you're considering a Wagbar franchise, reading these stories is the best place to start. Request information directly through the franchising page.

The people opening Wagbar locations across the country don't fit a single mold. Some spent decades in corporate jobs before deciding they wanted more. Others were drawn to the pet industry after years of volunteering with shelters and rescues. A few had never owned a business before. What they have in common is a genuine connection to dogs and a belief that a well-run off-leash dog park and bar can become the kind of place a community genuinely needs.

This page brings together the stories of Wagbar's growing franchisee network: who they are, where they came from, and what the experience of building a dog park franchise has looked like for each of them.

Why Franchise Owner Backgrounds Matter

When you're evaluating any franchise investment, the track record of existing owners tells you more than any marketing materials can. It tells you whether the business model works for people with varied experience levels, whether the support system holds up in practice, and whether the kind of life this business creates is one you'd actually want.

Wagbar's franchising page outlines the financial requirements and operational framework. But the stories of the people who have already signed on reveal something the numbers alone can't show: this is a concept that attracts thoughtful, community-driven people who chose it deliberately, often after exploring other options.

The investment range runs from $470,300 to $1,145,900 total, with a $50,000 franchise fee, a 6% royalty on adjusted gross sales, and a 1% contribution to the Wagbar marketing fund. For those committing to three or more units, the franchise fee carries a 50% multi-unit discount. Those are the terms. The owners below are the proof of concept.

All investment figures are illustrative. Prospective franchisees should review the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete financial details.

AJ Sanborn, Richmond, Virginia

Background: 20 years in financial services

AJ Sanborn spent two decades building a career in financial services before he started asking what came next. He considered opening a traditional bar, the kind of concept that made sense on paper given his business acumen and entrepreneurial interest. But his love for animals kept pulling him in a different direction.

When he came across Wagbar, the combination clicked. A dog park and bar together wasn't just a novel idea; it was the version of hospitality that actually made sense to him. His fluffy white dog Bibi had something to do with it too. AJ, a Boston native and lifelong Bruins and Celtics fan, is now bringing the Wagbar concept to the Richmond, Virginia area, where he and his fiancée are also expecting the arrival of a Bernese Mountain Dog.

AJ's story is one of the clearest examples of what Wagbar calls a career pivot done right. Two decades of financial experience translate directly into the business management side of running a franchise. The difference is that now the work is something he genuinely cares about.

Read the full announcement: Welcome AJ Sanborn, our Richmond-area Wagbar Franchisee

Dianna, Phoenix, Arizona

Background: IT sales and restaurant industry

Dianna came to Wagbar from a career in IT sales, which she had paired with experience in the restaurant industry. She wasn't looking to abandon what she knew; she was looking for a way to bring it all together in something that felt more like community building than punching a clock.

The off-leash dog park and bar concept gave her that. Her sales background means she understands how to build relationships and close on what matters to people. Her restaurant experience means the hospitality side of operations isn't foreign territory. And her love for working with both people and dogs made the Wagbar model feel less like a business decision and more like the obvious next move.

Dianna is bringing Wagbar to Phoenix, a city with strong year-round outdoor culture and a dog-owning population that's been waiting for exactly this kind of space.

Read the full announcement: Welcome Dianna to the Pack

Jennifer, Los Angeles, California

Background: Long corporate career, lifelong animal passion

Jennifer grew up wanting to be a veterinarian or a marine biologist. Life led her into a long corporate career instead, and she was good at it. But the pull toward animals and community never went away.

When she decided it was time for something different, Wagbar offered a path that honored both parts of her. She's opening a Wagbar location in the Los Angeles area with her husband and three dogs by her side. In her own words, Wagbar isn't just a business for her. It's a place to create connections and bring some genuine joy into people's days.

Los Angeles has one of the largest concentrations of dog owners in the country, along with a strong appetite for social venues that go beyond the ordinary. Jennifer's background in managing corporate complexity translates into the kind of operational discipline a high-volume urban location demands.

Read the full announcement: Coming Soon: Wagbar Los Angeles

Liz and Shelby, Knoxville, Tennessee

Background: Finance and sales (Liz); animal behavior and rescue (Shelby)

The Knoxville franchise is the only mother-daughter ownership team in the Wagbar network, and their combined background might be the most comprehensive of any franchisee pair.

Liz brings years of experience in finance and sales, along with deep community involvement supporting animal shelters and rescues. She has the business side covered. Shelby grew up rescuing animals, volunteering in shelters, and is now working toward her Animal Behavior certification. She has the dog expertise side covered.

The two moved to East Tennessee three years ago, fell in love with the Knoxville area's mountains and community character, and quickly recognized that the city needed exactly what Wagbar offers. Their own dogs, American Bullies Sushi and Moose and a Shih Tzu named Buddy, will likely be among the regulars.

Knoxville is a college town with a tight-knit outdoor culture, a growing young professional population, and the kind of community orientation that makes the Wagbar model work. Liz and Shelby are precisely the type of owners built to make it thrive.

Read the full announcement: Franchise Alert: Knoxville, TN

Matt and Taylor, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Background: First-time business owners

Matt and Taylor represent something important in the Wagbar story: you don't have to come from an industry background to make this work. They're first-time business owners who saw the concept, connected with what it stood for, and committed.

They secured a location in The Market Common in Myrtle Beach, one of the most walkable and community-oriented mixed-use developments in the Carolinas. Their dog Mickey is already part of the Wagbar family. Their story is early, but the choice of location shows real market instinct, and the Wagbar franchise system is built to support owners who are learning the business from day one.

Read the full announcement: Coming Soon: Wagbar Myrtle Beach

What These Stories Have in Common

Pull back from the individual profiles and a few consistent threads emerge.

Career changers who chose deliberately. None of these franchisees stumbled into Wagbar. AJ evaluated other bar concepts. Dianna weighed her sales and restaurant experience against different franchise categories. Jennifer had a long corporate career to walk away from. Each of them did the analysis and made a choice. That kind of deliberate decision-making tends to translate into how they run their businesses.

People who genuinely love dogs. This isn't a talking point. Every owner in the Wagbar network has personal dogs and a real investment in canine welfare. Liz and Shelby have spent years working with shelters. Jennifer has three dogs. AJ is adding a Bernese Mountain Dog to the household. The product isn't abstract to any of them.

Community builders, not just business operators. The Wagbar concept is built around the idea that a dog park bar becomes a genuine neighborhood institution. That only works if the person running it actually cares about building something local. These owners do.

For more on what the Wagbar model looks like from a business perspective, the dog business franchise profit margins page and the revenue streams overview go deeper on the operational side.

The Diversity of Backgrounds Is the Point

The pet industry is growing, but most of the people interested in it don't come from it. According to the American Pet Products Association, U.S. pet spending reached $147 billion in 2023, and that number continues to climb. The customers walking through a Wagbar gate are accountants, teachers, tech workers, and retirees. It makes sense that the people opening Wagbar locations look a lot like them.

Wagbar doesn't require a hospitality background or prior franchise experience. What it does require is the ability to manage a business, a genuine connection to the community you're entering, and a real affinity for dogs. The training program, including an intensive week at Wagbar's headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina, and use of the proprietary Opener app for pre-launch guidance, is designed to bring motivated owners up to speed on the parts they don't already know.

The benefits of owning a pet franchise page covers the structural advantages of the model. The off-leash dog bar concept overview gives a full picture of what the business actually looks like day to day.

Geographic Diversity in the Wagbar Network

Wagbar locations are opening across a wide range of markets: coastal cities, college towns, Sun Belt metros, and smaller regional hubs. That range is intentional. The best cities for dog franchise success page outlines what makes a market work, but the franchisee stories above show that the concept translates across very different geographies.

Richmond is a mid-Atlantic city with a strong young professional base and an established culture of local hangouts. Phoenix has year-round outdoor weather and a fast-growing pet ownership population. Los Angeles needs no introduction as a dog-obsessed city. Knoxville combines college town energy with genuine Appalachian community character. Myrtle Beach offers a walkable mixed-use development with high foot traffic and a loyal local community.

The thread connecting all of them isn't the city. It's the density of dog-owning households and the absence of a venue that actually serves them well.

For more on what drives market selection, the pet spending demographics page and the regional pet spending patterns analysis provide the data behind those decisions.

How Wagbar Supports Its Franchise Owners

Every owner in this network went through a structured onboarding process before opening their doors. The Wagbar franchise system includes pre-opening digital guidance through the Opener app, an intensive one-week training in Asheville covering dog behavior management, bar operations, staff development, and marketing, and on-site support at grand opening. Beyond launch, franchisees have access to quarterly business reviews, ongoing marketing support, and a network of fellow owners.

The franchise training and support overview details the full program. The complete guide to starting an off-leash dog bar business covers what that preparation looks like from concept to opening day.

This matters because the franchise owners profiled here are at different stages. Some locations are open and operating. Others are in development. The system they're relying on is the same, and the results so far reflect that consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of background do most Wagbar franchise owners have? Wagbar franchisees come from a wide range of industries including financial services, IT sales, corporate management, and animal welfare. Prior experience in the pet industry or hospitality is not required. The franchise training program is designed to bring owners up to speed on the operational specifics they don't already have.

Do I need experience with dogs or the pet industry to open a Wagbar? You don't need professional pet industry experience, but a genuine affinity for dogs is important. The Wagbar model works because owners care about the community they're building, not just the revenue. Most franchisees have personal dogs and a real investment in canine welfare.

How much does it cost to open a Wagbar franchise? The total estimated initial investment ranges from $470,300 to $1,145,900, with a $50,000 franchise fee. Ongoing fees include a 6% royalty on adjusted gross sales and a 1% marketing fund contribution. Franchisees committing to three or more units receive a 50% discount on the franchise fee. Prospective owners should consult the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

Can two people co-own a Wagbar franchise together? Yes. The Knoxville location is owned by a mother-daughter team, Liz and Shelby, who bring complementary backgrounds in finance, sales, and animal behavior. Co-ownership arrangements are supported within the franchise structure.

What cities are currently being developed by Wagbar franchisees? Active franchise development includes locations in Richmond, Virginia; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles and the surrounding area; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, along with several other markets. The locations hub shows the full development map.

How do I request more information about becoming a Wagbar franchisee? Visit the Wagbar franchising page to submit an inquiry. A member of the Wagbar team will follow up to discuss fit, market availability, and next steps.

Ready to Learn More?

The franchise owners featured here made a decision that changed the direction of their professional lives. Some walked away from long corporate careers. Others are building on decades of sales or finance experience. All of them chose Wagbar specifically, not just a franchise investment in general.

If you're in a similar place, whether you're exploring what comes after a corporate career, looking for a business that connects to something you actually care about, or evaluating the pet industry as a serious investment opportunity, the Wagbar franchising page is the right next step. You can also review the pet industry market analysis for a broader picture of the sector these owners are operating in.

The concept is proven. The owners are real. The opportunity is open.

Bottom TLDR: Wagbar franchise owners come from financial services, IT sales, corporate careers, and animal rescue, not from restaurant or pet industry backgrounds. What they share is a real connection to dogs and a desire to build community. The total investment ranges from $470,300 to $1,145,900. If you're considering a Wagbar franchise, start by reviewing the stories above and submitting an inquiry at wagbar.com/franchising.