Business Spotlight: Barkin’ Barn
Dogs are known as man’s best friend, but truthfully, our dogs are even more than that; our dogs are members of our families. At Barkin’ Barn located in Prescott, Eric Fatherree and KD Hicks treat each animal that comes through the door as family.
Eric Fatherree is a full-time flight medic with Air-Evac LifeTeam. He has been working in southwest arkansas as a medic for ten years. Fatherree has always had a passion for animals and aspirations to own a business, but wasn’t exactly sure how he could tie these two together. He told us that he had a “moment of inspiration and went for it”. From the minute Barkin’ Barn opened its doors, Fatherree knew he had made the right decision. The pets and their unique personalities inspire him daily and keep him excited in his business endeavor.
Fatherree says that his passion for pets and his want to serve the community were definitely the biggest motivators in starting his small business. Fatherree chose his location in an effort to be in the heart of the town. He wanted to be downtown and provide easy access for his customers. He wanted to provide his community with pet services that were close to home and that could accommodate even the busiest of schedules. Fatherree says that often times he will stay until seven or eight at night, in order to work a pet in.
Before opening Barkin’ Bark, Fatherree completed online courses and familiarized himself with clippers by practicing on family and friend’s pets. He visited conventions and trade shows to further his skills and learned how to address each individual pet’s needs, accommodating things such as blindness, deafness, and disability.
Fatherree hired KD Hicks in December of 2017. Hicks is the primary groomer, she runs the daily operations of the facility, and manages their social media. Fatherree said that Hicks’s “energy” reminded him a lot of himself. She maintains a positive attitude and is always willing to go above and beyond for both the customers and the business. Hicks is constantly bringing new ideas and new experiences to the table. Prior to working at Barkin’ Barn, Hicks worked at a veterinarian’s office, which is where she developed a love and passion for animals. She began dog grooming from her home and built a customer base. Hicks was overjoyed to go on to work alongside Fatherree at Barkin’ Barn.
Barkin’ Barn currently grooms over 500 pets and had over 2,000 groomings last year. They serve customers from eleven towns in the surrounding area and pets come from over 50 miles to visit Barkin’ Barn! They typically carry out eight groomings per day. There is an extensive list of services offered at Barkin’ Barn such as bathing your pet, conditioning your pet, sanitational trims, paw pad cleanups, ear cleansing, haircut and styling, nail trim, facial treatments, flea treatments, dematting, and a physical examination which checks your pet for any abnormalities that need to be dealt with. Barkin’ Barn also offers boarding for your pet. When your pet boards ar Barkin’ Barn, they are given a spacious suite all to themself. They are also walked three to four times a day, and food is provided, unless your baby is on a special diet. You can schedule a drop off and a pick up time convenient to your schedule.
You can stay up to date with Barkin’ Barn on facebook, where they are always conducting giveaways. If your pet needs anything from a haircut, to a spa day, to a safe and happy place to stay, make an appointment with KD or Eric today!
