Amanda Sanchez is opening an indoor dog park called The Bark at 1775 Grass Valley Highway, Suite A, in North Auburn, taking over more than 10,000 square feet of space previously occupied by local retail chain Incredible Pets. Sanchez said the business could open as soon as next month, with presales starting within the next two weeks.
Sanchez began developing the concept five years ago, envisioning a space where people and their dogs could gather together, built around a different business model than typical doggy daycare. Roughly 6,500 square feet of the space will be dedicated to park areas split between large and small dogs, mirroring the layout of a typical outdoor dog park but without the weather dependency. Private space will also be available, and dogs will be required to have current rabies vaccinations, with the facility capped at 50 people at a time.
The plan is to offer annual passes, monthly memberships and drop-in rates once the doors open, and expects to hire five to six employees. She said a future phase could add a children’s area along with a bar and cafe, though for now her focus is simply getting people through the door on opening day.
Getting here wasn’t easy. According to the Sacramento Business Journal, Sanchez described a long search for the right location, including a Midtown Sacramento site that fell through when demolition costs proved too expensive, along with a string of rejected funding attempts that pushed her to self-fund the project instead, keeping costs under $100,000, with the total project expected to land between $50,000 and $60,000.
