The blueprint:
- Kyle and Julie Hoberman run the Glen Cove store Woof Gang
- Third Long Island location after Port Washington and Hicksville
- A fourth store is under construction at Albertson’s in Willets Crossing
- Woof Gang Bakery has 450 stores in 34 countries nationwide
The franchisee for the growing pet store concept just opened its third location and will soon open a fourth.
Kyle Hoberman and his wife Julie opened another Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming store in a 1,500 square foot space in the Glen Cove Shopping Center at 195A Forest Ave in Glen Cove earlier this month.
The new Glen Cove store is the pair’s third Long Island location, following others in Port Washington and Hicksville. Hobermans has begun construction on the fourth Woof Gang store at The Shoppes at Willets Crossing in Albertson, which is expected to open next spring.
Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming offers premium quality dog food and treats, toys and accessories, health and wellness products and a full grooming service. When Kyle Hoberman, a business strategy and management consultant, was looking for a franchise opportunity six years ago, he was attracted to the Woof Gang concept, which seemed to have a leg up on the competition in the pet sector.
“We love every part of it. It’s not just another pet store,” Hoberman told LIBN. “It’s something special and unique and something we’ve never seen before. And that’s what ultimately led us to the Woof Gang.”
With big box stores dominating the pet industry, Woof Gang offers a more personalized approach, and the Hobermans feel they’re barking up the right tree.
“Woof Gang is like home, and part of it is because that makes the dog most comfortable, in the home itself,” Hoberman said. “When they walk in, they see a cookie table, a chandelier hanging in the middle of the store, and bright pink walls. It’s really just a clean, safe environment for all dogs.”
Founded in 2007, the Orlando, Fla.-based company. has grown through franchising. The total investment to open a Woof Gang franchise ranges from $179,200 to $419,300. Average annual store sales volume is $740,000, according to the company’s franchise information. About 72 percent of revenue comes from grooming operations and 28 percent from retail sales.
The Woof Gang chain currently has 450 stores open or under development in 34 states across the country.
Woof Gang partners with local businesses, nonprofits and volunteers to create events, workshops and fundraisers in the community. Customers visiting Hoberman’s newest location will be greeted by Shanti, who was helped by Glen Cove store manager Cindy Szczudlo after a passerby found her on the side of the Long Island Expressway and brought her to the Woof Gang store in Hicksville.
“We try to host rescue events in our stores and support dog walkers, dog sitters, and facilities in the neighborhood,” Hoberman said. “Our manager just opened a new veterinary hospital in Port Washington. We always try to be a resource in the community.”
Neil Schorr of Realty Insight Group represented Woof Gang in all Long Island rental transactions.