Woman puts class assignment to the test with Bark Avenue
A class at Keller Graduate School of Business changed Michelle Sarwas' life.
Her class assignment was to create a business plan as part of her master's degree studies in international finances.
Sarwas' business plan involved creating a day camp for dogs. The avid dog lover did the market research and necessary planning. She liked the plan so much, she decided to execute it, so Sarwas left her corporate career in finance and sales for a technology company.
"I realized it was a viable business," Sarwas said. On July 1, she opened Bark Avenue Daycamp at 1640 Hecht Drive in Bartlett. The facility is a doggy day care with other services including boarding, training and grooming.
"It's a one-stop shop," she said. The 14,000-square-foot building features indoor and outdoor play areas.
"It's virtually a crate-free environment," Sarwas said. The dogs are only kept in their crates when sleeping.
The staff goes through extensive training through the American Boarding and Kennel Association and are all certified through the Red Cross in pet first aid and emergency care, the entrepreneur said.
The cost for a day pass for day care is $30. Packages are available lowering the price to $22.50 a day. Boarding is available for $45 a night. Extended stays are lower in price.
Matt Covey serves as the trainer. Working with Midwest Canine, he serves as a contractor, specializing in aggressive dogs. Classes take place on Monday evenings.
An open house was recently held at the new facility during which more than 120 people visited the new business over a two-day period. During the month of September, Sarwas is offering free day-care services on Mondays as a back to school special.
Sarwas, who lives in Bartlett, has two of her own Labs and a daughter, Christina, 24.
"This is a real passion," said the entrepreneur, who plans to complete her final course to earn her master's degree.
The facility is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. She allows pet owners to pick up their dogs on the weekends, a service that's unusual in the industry, she said.
For more information, call (630) 289-8470 or check out www.barkavenuedaycamp.com.
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