Skiptown Unleashes Major Growth with Tech-First Franchise Model

CHARLOTTE, NC – April 22, 2026 – Skiptown, a modern dog care franchise, announced a breakout first quarter for 2026, reporting over 40% year-over-year revenue growth and the signing of its first multi-unit franchise agreement. The company's performance, which also includes a 68% YoY increase in daycare bundle sales, signals strong momentum as it aims to scale its tech-centric model within the robust $165 billion U.S. pet care industry.

The Charlotte-based brand, with locations in Denver and Atlanta, has now surpassed 8,000 total memberships across its service offerings. This growth underscores the increasing demand for premium, integrated pet services that cater to the modern pet owner.

Tapping into the Booming Pet Economy

Skiptown's impressive Q1 results are not happening in a vacuum. They reflect powerful trends within the larger pet care market, which is widely considered recession-resilient. Industry projections show U.S. pet expenditures climbing from $158 billion in 2025 to an estimated $165 billion this year. This growth is fueled by the "humanization" of pets, where owners increasingly view their animals as family members and are willing to invest significantly in their well-being and happiness.

This dynamic has made the pet care services sector—including daycare, boarding, and grooming—a hotbed for investment and franchise development. The market for these services alone is projected to reach over $120 billion globally in 2026. Skiptown's model, which combines essential services with social experiences, appears well-positioned to capitalize on this trend. The company's success with daycare bundles, where sales surged 68% year-over-year, highlights the consumer appetite for convenient, recurring service packages. The 20-pack option emerged as the top performer, accounting for 30% of all bundle purchases, indicating a strong desire for routine, high-frequency care.

"Our Q1 results highlight how quickly this model translates into success when it's executed well in-market," said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Skiptown. "We're especially encouraged by the traction in our core pet services, which continue to drive repeat visits and long-term customer relationships."

The Tech-Driven Difference: SkipOS and Strategic Partnerships

At the core of Skiptown's strategy is its proprietary technology platform, SkipOS. The company attributes much of its operational efficiency and customer engagement success to this integrated system, which provides a seamless mobile app experience for pet owners. Through the app, clients can manage bookings for daycare, boarding, grooming, and walking; handle payments; and access real-time photo and video updates of their pets.

This tech-first approach directly addresses the growing global pet tech market, valued at over $19 billion in 2026. Modern pet owners increasingly expect the same digital convenience from their pet care providers as they do from other consumer services. The SkipOS platform is designed to meet this demand by providing transparency and peace of mind, while also streamlining back-end operations for franchise owners.

To accelerate its growth and support this infrastructure, Skiptown has forged a series of key strategic partnerships. The company is leveraging Attentive for SMS and email marketing, HubSpot for franchise development automation, and Enspire for multi-unit digital marketing. For public relations and franchise advertising, it has enlisted Franchise Elevator, a firm specializing in emerging franchise brands. Furthermore, a partnership with SOCi will see the deployment of a new AI-powered chatbot on its consumer websites in July, aiming to further enhance customer service and engagement.

"These partnerships allow us to build a best-in-class infrastructure across marketing, technology, and franchise development," said Kristen Risby, Head of Marketing and Communications at Skiptown. "We're investing intentionally to support our locations and future franchise partners."

Building a Full-Service Ecosystem for Modern Pet Parents

Beyond its technology, Skiptown is focused on creating a comprehensive ecosystem of services that fosters deep customer loyalty. The recent launch of The PupCare Plan, a subscription-based grooming and wellness program, is a prime example. In less than three months, the plan attracted nearly 600 active members, demonstrating a clear demand for bundled, preventative care. The plan includes a monthly bath, nail trim, ear cleaning, and a wellness check, transforming routine grooming into a recurring revenue stream.

This strategy of bundling services extends to its core offerings. In the first quarter alone, 3,630 unique dogs used the company's daycare services, averaging 6.5 visits each. Boarding and grooming services also saw high utilization, with 2,136 and 3,490 unique dogs served, respectively. These figures point to a highly engaged customer base that uses multiple services, increasing the lifetime value of each client.

In some of its corporate locations, the brand also features a unique "Bar & Park" concept—an off-leash dog park combined with a bar for human patrons. This innovative model creates a social hub for the local pet-loving community, further embedding the brand into the lifestyle of its customers and setting it apart from more traditional daycare facilities.

The Path to National Expansion

With a proven model and strong early-year performance, Skiptown is now aggressively pursuing franchise expansion. The company marked a significant milestone in Q1 by signing its first multi-unit franchise agreement in the Charlotte area, a strong vote of confidence from the franchisee community.

The franchise landscape for pet care is competitive, with established players like Dogtopia and Camp Bow Wow boasting over 200 locations each. Skiptown is entering this arena with a comparable initial investment range of approximately $900,000 to $1.7 million. Its key differentiators remain its heavy emphasis on the proprietary SkipOS technology and the unique social-hub concept.

However, scaling a service-based franchise presents challenges. Maintaining high standards of animal care and customer service across a growing network of locations will be critical. As the brand expands, ensuring rigorous staff training and consistent operational execution will be paramount to upholding the premium experience it promises. The company's strategic investment in technology and marketing infrastructure appears designed to provide franchisees with the tools necessary to meet these standards and build a brand that resonates with both pet parents and savvy investors.