Clean Run - May 2017 - 64

Agility Training Centers:

A Look Inside
Countryside
Agility

By Brenna Fender, photos by Cindy Noland

Center name: Countryside Agility
Owner: Denise Thomas
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Website: www.countrysideagility.com
This series takes an in-depth look at successful training centers across the US.
This month we are looking at the business aspects of running a training center to
help you make important decisions for your own training facility.
Origin and Description
After many years as an obedience trainer and competitor, Denise Thomas got addicted to agility in the 90s and
decided to start offering classes since no agility training was available in her area. Countryside's first indoor location in 2002 was a 12,500 square foot store in an old mall. The business thrived but eventually the mall was sold and
they lost their lease.
Finding an appropriate location to move to was a challenge. Thomas needed a minimum of 25,000 square feet
with at least 150 parking spots and a safe grass area for walking dogs. The site needed to be in a central location
with access to highways to serve students from several neighboring states.
In November 2014, Thomas found a strip mall and was able to purchase 32,000 square feet of space in it as a condo to
avoid future lease problems. She says, "With four months of extended lease left, it was a crazy journey to get the renovations done and get all that matting and such moved with only one week off between trials. We had an awesome
builder who really came through for us. The store needed all new electric, bathrooms, heat and AC units, and water
and sewer put in. It was an old store so it was just an open space; that was great because I had a blank slate to make
walls wherever I wanted. To save money and time, I did all the designing and my builder did the CAD drawings."
Countryside Agility now offers a 5,000 square foot classroom with padded rubber floors (used for foundation classes and for crating at trials), a 15,500 square foot rubber infilled-turf area with a 100' x 95' fenced ring and 5,500
square foot warm-up space, a 30' x 100' area with rubber mats for additional training that is used for exhibitor
seating at the trials, and additional rooms for crating (exhibitors/students can choose to rent space for the year
so they don't have to bring crates to class and trials each week). Overhead is a 40' x 80' mezzanine with extra
storage and an additional puppy training area that will eventually be a doggie gym. There is a lobby area with
a fireplace and TV, retail space, and a trial secretary office. Future plans include a pool.
With 50-60 classes per week, six instructors, and more than 30 trials in the facility each year, Countryside Agility is
a thriving business. Owner Denise Thomas offers some insights on the business of running a large and successful
agility training center.
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Clean Run | May 17

http://www.countrysideagility.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - May 2017