Central Bark Signs Newest Franchise Deal in Asheville, N.C.

Image of Asheville, N.C. skyline where Central Bark Signs Newest Franchise Deal in Asheville, N.C.

To best introduce you to Emily and Lisa Fenster, our newest franchisees in Asheville, N.C., we thought you would first want to hear about how they became the pet parents of their dogs Storm and Sir Charles Carmichael, or better known as Chuck.

Long before they moved to Germany to fulfill Lisa’s contract work as a speech therapist, Emily was a member of the Bexar County San Antonio Fire EMS. One night while driving home in a storm, she found a stray dog. Emily jumped into action, rescued the dog, took her to a vet to get checked out, and when no chip or tags were found, Emily and Lisa decided to adopt him and appropriately named their new dog Storm.

A short time goes by, and Storm clearly needs a sibling. So, they go to their local shelter and let Storm sniff around to find a companion. Storm settles on Chuck, who ends up being deaf, and Storm essentially transformed himself into a service dog for Chuck.

Obviously, Emily and Lisa are dog people through and through.


Fast forward to today, and the couple are back in the states and settled in Asheville, N.C. where they just signed an agreement to become Central Bark’s newest franchisees. The entrepreneurial duo fell in love with Central Bark after extensive research because they wanted to combine their passion for dogs with a thriving business model when they moved back to the U.S. They knew Asheville would be a great market for Central Bark because it is such a dog friendly community and completely aligned with the brand’s mission statement: to forever nurture, enrich, and inspire whole health, happiness, and unconditional love for each dog, family, and community we serve.

For nearly 20 years, Central Bark has drawn in dogs and their owners across the country to experience its Enrichment Doggy Day Care, which combines Central Bark’s industry-leading doggy day care expertise with the latest in canine science. Enrichment Doggy Day Care provides a healthy and balanced blend of exercise, social group play, learning, rest, and “TLC” to help dogs be healthy, happy, calm, and well-rounded members of the family. Furthermore, Central Bark also offers dog boarding, baths, grooming, a retail market, training and more.

A typical Central Bark features approximately 6,000 – 7,000 square-feet of indoor space plus over 2,000 square-feet of outdoor play area. Activities include small flexible playgroups, group skills work, rest periods, and personalized one-on-one enrichment sessions. Enrichment add-ons give pups the extra attention they love and the freedom to use their senses, safely exploring with their instincts as they engage interactive toys, puzzles, and games.

The addition of Asheville Central Bark will expand the brand’s presence in North Carolina beyond Charlotte yet leaving plenty of room for additional development. For more information on Central Bark franchising opportunities, visit centralbarkusa.com/franchising.