TL;DR
Skiptown has signed a five-unit franchise agreement for the greater Austin area, marking the dog-care company’s planned entry into Texas. Franchisees Marilyn and Matt Willson are evaluating northern Austin-area sites, and the first location is targeted to open in fall 2027.
Skiptown has signed a five-unit franchise agreement covering greater Austin, its planned entry into Texas, with local franchisees Marilyn and Matt Willson targeting fall 2027 for the first opening. The couple expects to develop four more locations across the region, although sites have not yet been finalized.
The Willsons are long-time Austin residents and will own and operate the planned locations. The franchise announcement says they are evaluating potential sites for the first, flagship location in North Austin, Cedar Park and Pflugerville. The locations are intended to serve major corridors across the Austin market, but the company has not announced addresses or confirmed a specific city for the first site.
After the first opening, the franchisees aim to open another location about every 18 months, according to the announcement. That is a planned pace rather than a confirmed construction or opening schedule for the remaining four units. The release does not provide a total investment figure, staffing plans, or projected customer capacity.
Skiptown describes its model as bringing several services together in one place: daycare, overnight boarding, dog walking, bathing and grooming. Its company materials also describe a mobile app for booking, check-in and communication with pet owners. The franchisees said they were drawn to the brand after visiting its Atlanta location, citing the technology and its approach to dog care.
Skiptown’s Planned Austin Footprint
The agreement gives Skiptown a route into Texas through a five-location development plan, rather than a single announced site. If all units open, the project would establish a regional presence across greater Austin and add a new operator to the area’s dog daycare, boarding and grooming market. The scale of the agreement signals the company and franchisees intend to build across multiple communities, though the plan remains subject to site selection and development.
For Austin-area pet owners, the announcement points to another prospective option for combining routine care and overnight services under one roof. The first location is still years from its target opening, and the release does not establish pricing, service hours or capacity. Those details will affect how the facilities compare with existing providers once locations are confirmed.
The deal also reflects Skiptown’s franchise expansion strategy. The company says it has operating locations in Charlotte, Denver and Atlanta, with franchise locations in development in North Carolina, Colorado and Texas. The Austin agreement is a company growth announcement; it does not include independently verified forecasts for local demand or business performance.
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From Austin Plans to Texas Entry
The announcement was issued as a press release from Skiptown. It presents the Austin agreement as the company’s entry into Texas and says the Willsons plan to begin in the northern part of the market before expanding to other fast-growing communities in the region. The specific order of later locations has not been provided.
Marilyn Willson spent 25 years in nonprofit fundraising and later worked as a licensed Realtor and certified Senior Move Manager, according to the release. Matt Willson’s professional background includes financial analysis, technology and customer-service leadership. The couple said they have been dog owners for more than 30 years and currently have two rescue dogs. Their stated experience and local ties are part of the company’s explanation for selecting them as multi-unit franchisees.
Skiptown says its care model groups dogs by play style and temperament, rather than relying only on size. Matt Willson described the brand as combining pet care with a scalable business model, while the company characterizes the wider pet-care sector as an industry worth more than $158 billion. The release does not specify the source, measurement year or precise definition behind that industry figure.
““Pup parents are some of the most caring, community-minded people you’ll meet, and Skiptown gives them a place they can trust, where the team knows every pup by name and treats them like family.””
— Marilyn Willson, franchisee
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Sites and Opening Dates Pending
The announcement confirms the five-unit agreement and a fall 2027 target for the first opening, but it does not identify a final site, provide an address, or describe the status of leases, permits or construction. North Austin, Cedar Park and Pflugerville are areas under evaluation, not confirmed locations.
The remaining four locations also lack announced sites and opening dates. The target of roughly one opening every 18 months is the franchisees’ stated plan; delays or changes to the development schedule have not been addressed. Skiptown has not released construction budgets, prices, hiring numbers, service capacity or financial projections for the Austin units.
The claims about the brand’s service model and the broader pet-care market come from the company’s announcement. No independent market study or performance data for the proposed Austin locations was included, so the agreement alone does not establish expected demand or commercial results.
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Site Selection Before the First Opening
The immediate next step is for the Willsons to select a site for the flagship location, with the announcement identifying North Austin, Cedar Park and Pflugerville as areas being considered. Skiptown and the franchisees have not said when they expect to announce a final location or begin construction.
The first facility is targeted to open in fall 2027. If it opens on that timeline, the franchisees’ stated plan is to add a new location about every 18 months and eventually develop all five units. Updates on addresses, opening schedules and services will clarify how the broader agreement takes shape; for now, the announced dates and footprint remain plans rather than completed developments.
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Key Questions
What did Skiptown announce?
Skiptown signed a five-unit franchise agreement for greater Austin, marking its planned entry into Texas.
Who will own and operate the Austin locations?
Long-time Austin residents Marilyn and Matt Willson will own and operate the planned franchise locations.
When is the first Skiptown location expected to open?
The first location is targeted for fall 2027. The company has not announced a confirmed opening date.
Where will the first location be?
The franchisees are evaluating areas including North Austin, Cedar Park and Pflugerville. No final site or address has been announced.
What services does Skiptown offer?
Skiptown says its locations combine dog daycare, overnight boarding, walking, bathing and grooming, with app-based booking and communication. The services available at the Austin site have not been separately detailed.
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