A new place that combines play space for dogs and food and drink for humans – Crate Escapes Dog Park + Bar – is open in Westfield.
CEO Megan Schaffer, co-owner with three others, built the dog-and-human hospitality location on three acres of land adjacent to Westfield’s Grand Park.
A loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 program from The Farmers Bank and Indiana Statewide Certified Development Corporation assisted Crate Escapes owners in buying real estate and building the outdoor and indoor venue.
“We are Indiana’s first and only dog bar; an off-leash, indoor/outdoor dog park with a bar and event space for humans!” Schaffer said. “We offer drop-off services, a 20-tap self-pour beer and wine wall, cafe, dog bathing stations, and our dining room will be open soon.”
Schaffer continued, “Without our 504 Loan it wouldn’t have been possible to open Crate Escapes! Finding a facility that fit our needs was difficult, and building from scratch in Grand Park proved to be the best option. The 504 loan gave us a lower down payment to purchase the land and build the building suited perfectly for us.”
Indiana Statewide CDC works with local Hoosier lenders to issue U.S Small Business Administration 504 loans to help small-business owners buy real estate, buildings and equipment. SBA 504 loans can give small business owners long-term, fixed-rate financing priced below conventional loans.
“As a startup company, Crate Escapes is a great project and fit for the SBA 504 Program,” said The Farmers Bank’s Jared Stillwell. “The SBA 504 loan limits the down payment for borrowers so that they can maintain cash reserves and hold post-close liquidity. The 504 structure also provides security to the bank for its risk profile and approval process. The team at Indiana Statewide is always happy to provide timely responses to ensure each party is on the same page, which I appreciate as a lender. The Farmers Bank is proud to work with individuals that are investing their time and resources into one of the communities we serve.”
Crate Escapes has 38 employees, or “ruff-erees” to oversee the action, which includes live music, breed meetups, trivia, clubs, classes, and fun events like “Puppy Bowl” coming up Feb. 8, “Mardi-Paws” in March, and a “Puppy Prom” in April.
Learn more at CrateEscapesWestfield.com.