The Winning Franchisee | Former Marine and Finance Industry Veteran Open Second Hounds Town USA Location in Fairfield, NJ

New Jersey local Steve Garibell worked in the retail and financial service industry for 20-plus years, but it wasn’t until he adopted his dog, Cooper, that he understood Bergen County’s vast need for a trustworthy dog care facility. Through a conversation with his friend and Marine Corps Veteran, Anthony Mitchell, Garibell discovered he was not alone in the search for a pet care franchise. 

Mitchell, a local entrepreneur, had experience starting multiple small businesses in the New Jersey area. He decided to join Garibell in his search for an affordable pet care franchise that they could bring to Bergen County.

The duo opened their first Hounds Town USA location in 2018. The interactive doggy daycare model that fosters healthy play in a natural pack environment boomed. After four years of success, the two are opening their second location in Fairfield this month. The brand’s commitment to culture and giving back encouraged them to expand.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Garibell: I started out in retail apparel at Aeropostale and Gap and rose the management ranks throughout the years. I then went into banking with Wachovia, and moved over to TD Bank, where I am now the vice president of diverse business development strategy. I spent years as a branch manager and small business relationship manager, covering upper Manhattan and the Bronx. I love working with small business owners, and that’s where my passion for it originated. 

I look at all the jobs I’ve had in my life, and it’s always been about helping people reach a goal.

Now, it’s the same thing with doggy daycare. We make pet ownership available for everyone by offering them a safe and productive place to care for their dog. We started in Bergen and were the first franchise outside of Long Island. Early on, we partnered with the Bergen County Animal Shelter and provided free services for them for the first 1.5 years. We got the first animal behavior contract in Bergen County by helping board their dogs and shelter them. We have seven of them staying with us right now, and we’ve helped them get adopted.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Garibell: When I was in retail apparel, I worked in the store line. We taught our store managers to treat their stores like a franchise. Then going into banking, I lent to many franchisees looking to open a franchise. We knew how to run a business, but we weren’t sure about the dog piece. We needed the model to show us the way. 

1851: What makes you stand out as business owners in your local community?

Garibell: We are community driven. We’re approachable and want to have a conversation. We set very clear expectations and are very transparent with our team and our customers. Even though Anthony and I are not on location daily, we are still very involved. Customers and people in the community see me taking my dogs to Hounds Town, and I try to get to know them as much as possible. 

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Garibell: I adopted my dog Cooper who is very high-strung and needs to play. I knew nothing about dog daycare, and my vet didn’t have great recommendations for a place to go. So, I found one locally. Cooper got injured, which happens frequently, but when I went to pick him up, the staff was very unapproachable and uncommunicative with me. I kept going back and would get report cards that said he was “too much.” I realized their model just wasn’t the right model for Cooper. So, I started researching. I knew going into business was something I wanted to do anyways.

Hounds Town came up, and the more I read about it, the more it made sense to me. When we went to discovery day, it felt comfortable for us. The model and the relationship I built with Mike and Jackie were great. It is really important to watch the franchise grow and still see them in it the way they are. Keeping culture is so important, and that’s the one thing that’s on top of everyone’s agenda at Hounds Town corporate.

We’ve been open for four years in Bergen, and we have more dogs that got “kicked out” of other daycares just because it wasn’t the right fit for them, not because they were bad dogs. Even employees who have worked at other places have said it’s a very different atmosphere that allows for much more engagement and freedom.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Garibell: We are talking about a third location and strategies for running multiple units. I would love to be able to retire from my day job in the next few years and focus on running these businesses and helping other small business owners achieve their dreams. We have two employees who have been with us since day one. It’s amazing to watch them grow and learn, and we want to help them continue to do that.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Garibell: If you’re going into this with a partner, understand your goals. Understand you can’t do it all on your own; you need assistance. And make sure you’re capitalized. Look at all of the options in funding your dream. Labor is the most challenging piece, so really look at the industry you’re going into and make sure you really want to be in it.