I’ve been kicking around a local business idea and would love some honest feedback from Twin Ports dog owners and lovers before I get too carried away with it.
The idea is a year-round dog recreation and social space somewhere in the Duluth/Hermantown area, built around three main pieces:
•A large indoor off-leash park with plenty of room for dogs to actually run, play and socialize year-round, especially during our winters.
• A large fenced outdoor park and trail system with room for off-leash play, separate play areas where needed, and dedicated walking/running trails to enjoy with your dog.
• A comfortable clubhouse-style social space where you can grab a coffee or drink, get something to eat, watch a game, relax, or hang out while your dog plays.
There are other possibilities too, like dog training, a self-service dog wash, doggy daycare, live music, trivia, dog-friendly races and community events. But before getting too far ahead of myself, I’m trying to figure out whether the core idea is something people here would actually use.
Basically, the goal would be to create somewhere both you AND your dog genuinely want to spend time.
So I’m curious:
• Would you actually use something like this?
• How often could you see yourself going?
• What would make you want to come back regularly?
• What would keep you away?
• Would you prefer a membership or pay per visit?
I put together a very short survey if you’re willing to help me gauge whether there’s actually enough local interest:
Click here to access the survey on Google Forms
Comments here are just as helpful. Good, bad, skeptical, whatever. I’d rather figure out where the idea has holes now than after spending a bunch of money trying to build it.
Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this. I appreciate it!