Fresh Air & Dog Hair

🌷🌻🌺 May Updates from the Zoomies Pack 🏵️🪻🌼

Hey friends!

Is everyone freaking pumped for the sun and warm weather? I know I am! It is funny though how quickly it goes from being too cold to almost too hot. Just yesterday I took Ruby and Lily on a walk and was SWEATING HEAVILY within 5 minutes. TMI?

Moving on! Earlier this month, I flew to Vegas to attend the Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo—a national conference for people building businesses in the pet services world. It was a packed few days: I joined seminars on everything from animal behavior to emergency protocols, explored a bustling tradeshow floor, and had some incredible conversations with other business owners who’ve been in the trenches of dog daycare, boarding, and grooming.

More than anything, I left with a deep appreciation for how much care and intention it takes to create a space that’s truly safe and enriching for dogs. The people who do it well take their responsibility seriously—and it shows. It was energizing to connect with folks who share that commitment, and I’m excited to bring everything I learned back to Zoomies.

What’s next? I’m glad you asked.

🌞 Summer events are in the works!

Zoomies is kicking things off at Anti-Cruelty’s BARK! 2025 on Saturday, May 31st at Lincoln Park Grove 2—a celebration benefiting one of Chicago’s most impactful animal welfare organizations. I’ll be there with a Zoomies table, so swing by to support a great cause, meet some adorable pups, and say hello! Find more information about the event here.

We're also planning an appearance at a few other community events this summer, so stay tuned for where we’ll be next.

In addition to showing up around town, I'm organizing a series of Zoomies-hosted gatherings—intentional, dog-friendly events created to bring our future members together, build community, and test out ideas for the space we’re building. These will be a chance to connect more meaningfully, support local rescues and small businesses, and have some fun along the way.

I’ll be updating the event calendar on our website as dates and details are confirmed, and of course you’ll see announcements on our socials too.

📍 Have an event space in mind?

We're on the lookout for affordable venues—vacant commercial spaces, quirky local haunts, anywhere that’s cool with a few paws on the floor. If you’ve got a lead, I’d love to hear from you.

❄️ We’re also cooking up a winter pop-up.

We're working on launching a smaller, indoor, off-leash pop-up this winter. It won’t have every bell and whistle of the full Zoomies concept, but it will give dogs a chance to stretch their legs in a warm, safe space while we keep working on the bigger vision. Right now, I am in active discussions with the city and landlords on a couple promising spots on the North Side.

🪜 All of this ladders up to the full Zoomies flagship.

The pop-up and events are opportunities for us to learn the business inside and out, demonstrate demand, and build momentum with investors and lenders. Behind the scenes, I'm continuing conversations with both our committed and potential backers, exploring SBA financing, negotiating the lease on our favorite Avondale property, and looking at purchase options as well. It’s a lot—but it’s moving!

🎉 And finally, big congrats to the team at Pup Social on their grand opening this month! They’ve carved out their own niche in the dog space, and we’re excited to see more dog-forward spaces in Chicago. A rising tide lifts all boats!

Thank you for being here, for reading, and for cheering us on. I can’t wait to share more soon.

Devon and the Zoomies Pack