Central Bark Dog Care Signs New Multi-Unit Franchise Deal in New Jersey

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Press release: Central Bark

Central Bark, the premier whole dog care franchise and industry pioneer, is proud to announce the signing of its newest multi-unit franchise agreement with Frank and Lauren Belfiore to establish the brand’s first locations in New Jersey. The husband-and-wife team, are set to bring three Central Barks to Northern New Jersey.

After spending more than 20 years in corporate America, the couple decided they had reached a point in life where they were ready to determine their own success and direction. They fell in love with Central Bark after extensive research because, for the first time, they realized there was a business model that would allow them to combine their longstanding passion for dogs with the thriving pet services industry, whose projected U.S. sales in 2023 are primed to hit $143.6 billion according to the American Pet Products Association. They understood New Jersey would be a great market for Central Bark because it’s made up of so many dog-friendly communities that completely align with Central Bark’s mission: to forever nurture, enrich and inspire whole health, happiness and unconditional love for each dog, family and community it serves.

“While I have spent the majority of my professional life as a senior executive with multi-million-dollar companies in the food industry and Lauren most notably as president of a New Jersey-based Insurance company – we knew there was something more out there for us to do,” said Frank Belfiore. “We’ve had this incredible bond with our dogs all our lives and knew there had to be a business that would allow us to harness that passion while also giving back to the community we call home. When we discovered Central Bark and its holistic approach to whole dog care which is combined with the latest in canine behavioral science, we knew it was going to be the perfect fit for New Jersey.”

For nearly 20 years, Central Bark has drawn in dogs and their owners across the country to experience its Whole Dog Care, which combines Central Bark’s industry-leading doggy day care expertise with the latest in canine science. Enrichment Doggy Day Care provides a healthy and balanced blend of exercise, social group play, learning, rest and “TLC” to help dogs be healthy, happy, calm and well-rounded members of the family. Furthermore, Central Bark also offers dog boarding, baths, grooming, a retail market, training and more.

“Central Bark is in a class of its own when it comes to safety and its approach to whole dog care,” said Lauren Belfiore. “We ultimately chose Central Bark over other considerations because of the strength of the brand, the integrity of the system, the steadfast commitment to canine science and safety, and because of their commitment to making dogs across every community happy and healthy members of the family. We can’t wait to welcome both our two-legged and four-legged guests when we open.”

Central Bark typically features approximately 6,000 – 7,000 square feet of indoor space plus over 2,000 square-feet of outdoor play area. Activities include small flexible playgroups, group skills work, rest periods, and personalized one-on-one enrichment sessions. Enrichment add-ons give pups the extra attention they love and the freedom to use their senses, safely exploring with their instincts as they engage with interactive toys, puzzles and games.

“We’re so pleased to welcome Frank and Lauren to our Central Bark family, while expanding our presence across the Northeast and opening our first locations ever in New Jersey,” said Tim Weiderhoft, Ed.D., CFE, Vice President of franchise development for Central Bark. “While Frank and Lauren have impressive professional backgrounds, what we love is that they want to apply that experience and business knowledge to operating their new Central Barks. We know they’re going to find tremendous success across New Jersey.”