The Bark Shoppe

What The Bark Shoppe does

The Bark Shoppe is a privately held, woman-owned pet care company founded in 2012 by Melissa Mitchner and headquartered at a single flagship location at 100 St. Nicholas Ave. in Harlem, New York City. It delivers in-person grooming, bathing, daycare, and boarding services to NYC pet owners, supported by a team of 1-10 staff whose groomers are certified by the New York Institute of Pet Grooming and collectively hold 30+ years of grooming experience drawn from techniques practiced in Brazil, Japan, and other markets. The company emphasizes a holistic, luxury positioning with all services performed using its own proprietary all-natural, vegan, soap-free, water-based grooming formulations that are also sold direct-to-consumer.

The proprietary product line includes signature hydrating body sprays (Floral Essence, Petal Paradise, Melon Breeze, Vanilla Bliss at $24.99 each), tearless and hypoallergenic shampoos ($24.99 each), and a dental rinse ($19.99), all distributed through the company's Shopify-based e-commerce storefront in addition to in-store retail. Service pricing is not publicly disclosed but is structured by pet size (Small 0-20 lbs, Medium 21-40 lbs, Large 41-60 lbs) with surcharges for XL and specialty breeds; grooming and bathing appointments require a 50% deposit, and a 10% first-visit discount is offered. Daycare ($1M-$5M revenue band inferred) and boarding operate by reservation with sensory training and text-update owner communication.

The business has bootstrapped most of its growth with a single $200,000 seed round in February 2021 from Leap Venture Studio, Michelson Impact Ventures, and R/GA Ventures. Distribution is concentrated: all service revenue flows through the single NYC flagship (open Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm), while product revenue is shipped globally via e-commerce. Marketing relies on an educational blog, organic Instagram and Facebook presence, and SEO, with brand visibility amplified by press features in Forbes, Business Insider, BuzzFeed, Good Morning America, Essence, Fox Business, Huffington Post, Madamenoire, New York Magazine, and Afro Tech. The company has no disclosed enterprise customers, no AI/ML capabilities, no franchising activity, and no parent company or external controlling investor.

Name

The Bark Shoppe

Legal name

The Bark Shoppe

Website

https://thebarkshoppe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bark Shoppe is a woman-owned, single-location pet care company in Harlem, NYC, providing grooming, daycare, and boarding alongside a proprietary line of all-natural, vegan grooming products sold direct-to-consumer through e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Care Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Standard Full-Service Dog Grooming (HSANAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bath & Brush Packages (HSANAAAC), Haircut & Styling (Breed-Specific/Custom) (HSANAAAD), Skin & Coat Therapy (Medicated/Hypoallergenic Shampoos) (HSANAAAL), Teeth Brushing & Breath Care (HSANAAAH), Pet Grooming Supplies Retail (At-home) (CRALAHAG)

Keywords

• Pet grooming services
• Pet daycare boarding
• Natural pet products
• Luxury pet care
• Pet wellness center

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grooming Services: Full-service grooming including bathing, brushing, haircut, sanitary trim, styling, ear and eye cleaning, and facials. 50% deposit required when booking.
2. Bathing Services: Bathing service including sanitary trim, brushing, ear and eye cleaning, and facial. Entry-level service tier.
3. Daycare Services: Daycare includes several walks, lunch, sensory training, and text updates. Available daily by reservation from 8am-6pm.
4. Boarding Services: Overnight boarding including several walks, dinner, sensory training, and text updates. Available 24/7 by appointment.
5. Product Sales: Direct sales of proprietary all-natural grooming products including shampoos, conditioners, body sprays, and dental rinse through e-commerce and in-store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bark Shoppe provides professional pet grooming, bathing, daycare, and boarding services at its New York City flagship location, using its own proprietary all-natural, vegan, soap-free grooming products. The company also sells these signature products—including shampoos, hydrating body sprays, and dental rinse—directly to pet parents via its own e-commerce store for at-home use.

Product overview

The Bark Shoppe is a luxury pet care service provider offering four core services (grooming, bathing, daycare, and boarding) combined with a line of proprietary all-natural pet care products. The grooming and bathing services are delivered at their New York flagship location using their own signature soap-free shampoos and hydrating body sprays, which are also sold to pet parents for home use. Products include multiple signature body sprays in various scents (Floral Essence, Petal Paradise, Melon Breeze, Vanilla Bliss) and specialty shampoos (Tropical Tearless, Sweet Pea and Vanilla Hypoallergenic), plus dental care products. The company was founded in 2012 and is woman-owned.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bathing Service Professional bathing service including bathing, sanitary trim, brushing, ear and eye cleaning, and a facial, delivered at the NYC flagship using proprietary all-natural products. Targeted at pet owners seeking quality grooming for dogs and cats.
• Grooming Service Full-service grooming including bathing, brushing, haircut, sanitary trim, styling, ear and eye cleaning, and facials, applying global techniques from Brazil and Japan. Targeted at NYC pet owners seeking premium grooming.
• Daycare Service Daily daycare service available by reservation from 8am-6pm, including several walks, lunch, sensory training, and text updates. Targeted at busy NYC pet owners needing daytime supervision.
• Boarding Service Overnight boarding available 24/7 by appointment, including several walks, dinner, sensory training, and text updates. Targeted at NYC pet owners requiring overnight pet care.
• Signature Body Sprays Water-based, hydrating body sprays in scents including Floral Essence, Petal Paradise, Melon Breeze, and Vanilla Bliss. Vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for dogs and cats. Priced at $24.99 each.
• Tropical Tearless Shampoo Tearless shampoo designed for pets with sensitive skin and coats, water-based and all-natural. Targeted at pet owners seeking gentle at-home grooming.
• Sweet Pea and Vanilla Hypoallergenic Shampoo Hypoallergenic shampoo formulated with sweet pea and vanilla scents for pets with sensitive skin. Targeted at pet owners needing gentle at-home grooming.
• Dental Rinse Dental rinse for pets to maintain oral hygiene. Priced at $19.99. Targeted at pet owners focused on at-home dental care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% all-natural, vegan, cruelty-free products used in all services
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Throw Me a Bone: Boutique NYC pet grooming and retail shop emphasizing natural products and quality service. Comparable as a small-format, premium urban pet grooming retailer with a curated product assortment.
• Dogtopia: National dog daycare, boarding, and spa franchise with hundreds of locations. Comparable as a multi-unit dog daycare/boarding operator, though at much larger scale and with a franchised model.
• Biscuits & Bath: NYC-based pet care operator offering grooming, daycare, boarding, and walking services across multiple Manhattan locations. Directly comparable as a premium urban pet care service with overlapping service mix and customer demographic.
• D Pet Hotels: Luxury NYC pet hotel offering upscale grooming, daycare, boarding, and spa services. Closely comparable in premium positioning, holistic service approach, and target affluent urban pet parents.
• Healthy Spot: Premium pet retail and grooming concept originating in LA with a focus on natural products and elevated service. Comparable in its holistic, education-driven approach to pet care and proprietary natural product positioning.
• Camp Bow Wow: Franchised dog daycare, boarding, and grooming chain operating across the U.S. Comparable as a multi-unit dog daycare and boarding concept targeting similar pet parent needs.

Broad incumbents

• PetSmart: Largest North American specialty pet retailer with in-store grooming salons, PetsHotel boarding, and Day Camp. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping grooming and boarding services, though at much lower price points and within a mass-market retail setting.
• Petco: National pet retail chain offering grooming, training, and boarding services. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping service offerings, though at different price positioning and within a mass-market ecosystem.
• Burt's Bees for Pets: Natural pet care product line from the established Burt's Bees brand covering shampoos, conditioners, and sprays. Comparable as a broader natural pet grooming product line at national retail distribution.

Emerging players

• Earthbath: Specialty brand of all-natural, plant-based pet grooming products (shampoos, conditioners, sprays). Directly comparable to The Bark Shoppe's proprietary product line as a natural pet grooming product peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100064050992559
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebarkshoppe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bark-shoppe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Bark Shoppe