MUTTS Canine Cantina signed a franchise deal to expand to New Braunfels, Texas. Anticipated to open in the fall of 2020, this marks the first MUTTS Canine Cantina location in the greater San Antonio area and the third Texas location, with additional franchise units to come over the next seven years.
The concept’s franchise partners, James Mahan and Gregory Snider, developers of Solms Landing, signed a multi-unit agreement to bring MUTTS Canine Cantina’s unique restaurant / cocktail bar / dog park concept to the new upscale development. Currently under construction, Solms Landing is a mixed-use shopping center featuring retail, office, multi-family housing, hospitality and entertainment spaces.
“Incorporating a business like MUTTS Canine Cantina into our plans for Solms Landing was an obvious choice,” says Mahan. “There are more than 2,000 apartment units located within a one-mile radius of the development, and many of those residents are dog owners looking for dog-friendly entertainment opportunities. MUTTS creates a true community for dog lovers to socialize with like-minded friends, and we look forward to sharing the MUTTS experience with New Braunfels and beyond.”
The pet industry topped $72 billion in 2018, setting the stage for pet eatertainment as the next big thing in the restaurant and retail space. MUTTS Canine Cantina is already thriving in the Lone Star State with multiple locations in development, and they have partnered with Fransmart, the global leader in franchise development, to bring its unique social oasis for dogs and their owners to cities across the country. Fransmart is renowned for turning emerging restaurant concepts like Five Guys Burgers & Fries and QDOBA Mexican Grill into the powerhouse chains they are today.
“New Braunfels is perfectly situated between Austin and San Antonio, so many people from both areas are moving there to escape city living for a better quality of life,” says Fransmart CEO Dan Rowe. “James and Greg are building a development that caters seamlessly to a MUTTS Canine Cantina, combining the demands of a growing population and the need for pet-friendly accommodations.”
Created in 2013, MUTTS Canine Cantina was one of many “first of its kind” concepts that restaurant pioneers Kyle Noonan and Josh Sepkowitz developed under the FreeRange Concepts umbrella. Operating on a membership model, MUTTS Canine Cantina has earned a reputation in Texas and beyond for its social dog parks. Each MUTTS Canine Cantina® location features two fully-enclosed, fenced lawn spaces where pups can release energy, exercise, run freely and play safely in both shaded and unshaded areas, while their owners relax and socialize. A separate patio features concession-style food options like the MUTTS Original Chicken Sandwich, burgers, milkshakes and a “Doggie Menu” for four-legged patrons. Members can also take advantage of the free Wi-Fi, Bark Rangers who provide water and keep the park tidy and a dog washing area.
Together with Fransmart, the concept is looking for experienced multi-unit foodservice operators to develop franchise territories in the top 40 major media markets across the U.S. Franchisees benefit from numerous features including a turnkey concept, membership and recurring revenue model, negotiated contracts with national vendors and a well-developed food and beverage program. Additionally, the franchise is ideal for developers with mixed usage projects and a solution for odd shaped or undevelopable tract within a development.
