Walk-In Wellness Clinic is First of 25 Locations Planned for Region Under Development Agreement with Multi-Unit Orangetheory Operators David Ballow and Liz Overmann
ROCKVILLE, Md. – PetWellClinic, a walk-in wellness clinic offering high-quality, convenient and affordable veterinary care for cats and dogs, announced today that it has opened its first Washington, D.C., area location here at 11802 Rockville Pike, Suite D. The new clinic is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It provides convenient, quick in-and-out veterinary care for cats and dogs such as exams and vaccinations, treatment for minor illnesses, management of chronic conditions and laboratory testing. Wellness packages with additional tests and treatments are also available. Margeaux Malone, DVM, a graduate of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, administers veterinary services with part-time support from Leigh Pusateri, DVM, who earned her veterinary degree at Ohio State. The care team also includes four veterinary assistants.
PetWellClinic of North Bethesda is the first of 25 locations slated to open under a development agreement signed last year by David Ballow, a multi-unit Orangetheory operator, and Liz Overmann, vice president of operations for Ballow’s Orangetheory locations. Ballow and Overmann are partners in the PetWellClinic business and will open their remaining sites in Washington, D.C., and adjoining parts of Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Overmann said the new business thrives on meeting demand for urgent veterinary care as well as periodic routine services. Situated within a high-end town center that combines retail businesses with upscale residences, she explained, the clinic attracts a clientele that wants on-demand service and is willing to pay for it.
“We’re off to a strong start,” she said. “About 40 percent of our business comes through referrals from other vets in our area. They’re booked out for three weeks. We get a lot of the cases that need to be seen right away but can’t – eye and ear infections and tummy troubles. When people feel their pets need to be seen they want the situation handled right away. Pricing doesn’t seem to be an issue, but we’re super competitive, which is proving to be a nice surprise.”
In addition to the urgent care cases, Overmann said customers are seeing PetWellClinic’s wellness packages as a convenient and cost-effective way to secure ongoing care for their pets. “We hear things like, ‘Your wellness plans are super competitive and I had a super experience with you. I’m definitely coming back.’ Or, ‘I’ve been calling around places and no one will see me. I came in here and had a great experience. I’m telling all my friends,’” she said.
Leveraging Their Multi-Brand Portfolio
Having opened 13 Orangetheory sites to date, Overmann said getting the new PetWellClinic up and running was comparatively easy, as it involved less technology and avoided supply chain challenges. Recruiting the necessary licensed professionals and support staff, one of the biggest ramp-up tasks, was aided by the PetWellClinic work environment and schedule she added.
“There have been a lot of struggles in the vet world with burnout from long hours, not-good pay, not-good benefits and not-good people,” she said. “We can ‘bribe’ them with a fantastic eight-hour workday, no work to take home, good leadership, good resources and a lower-stress environment that truly lets them focus on why they got into veterinary medicine.”
More than giving them a benchmark for launching multiple new franchise locations, their ties to Orangetheory have proved to be an asset to Ballow and Overmann in numerous ways.
“We’re taking a lot of the learning and relationships we’ve gained through Orangetheory and applying that to PetWellClinic,” Overmann said. “We’re definitely leaning on the landlords and others in our network who have helped us grow that business as resources to grow this one. We’ve also been able to capitalize on the synergies between both of our brands, as both are value-based companies. I think that the customer is very similar for both businesses.”
The PetWellClinic logo will soon be popping up in more locations throughout the Washington metro area. Ballow and Overmann have already secured two more locations where they will soon open additional clinics and are actively searching for more to complete their commitment.
Further information on the new location and a complete menu of services can be found online at https://www.petwellclinic.com/wp/locations/north-bethesda-md/ or on Facebook or Instagram. For more information about PetWellClinic franchise opportunities, please visit www.petwellfranchise.com or contact Joe Sexton at joseph@oakscale.com.
About PetWellClinic and the PetWellClinic Franchise Opportunity
PetWellClinic is a walk-in veterinary clinic, providing excellent preventative, wellness and sick care for dogs and cats on an on-demand basis. There is no need for an appointment because PetWellClinic's technology, design, and operational systems provide customers with a modern-day experience in an antiquated industry. PetWellClinic recently began franchising after the success of its company-owned operations in Knoxville, Tenn., and currently has more than 100 units in development.
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