Vet clinic Petfolk is planning to open its first Virginia outpost at Midlothian Depot. (Jack Jacobs photo)
A fast-growing veterinary care provider is set to make its Richmond-area debut.
Petfolk is planning to open a location on Friday at 1008 Steam Ave., within the Whole Foods-anchored Midlothian Depot shopping center in Chesterfield County.
The animal care chain’s landing in Midlothian is its latest step in the northward expansion of its footprint from North Carolina, and aims to capitalize on what it sees as a demand spurred by growth in western Chesterfield, Petfolk co-CEO Michael Wystrach said.
“From our data, there does appear to be a veterinary shortage in that area, with increased population and increasing pet demands. So that’s an area that we think a pet parent needs options,” Wystrach said.
The upcoming Midlothian spot would be the first Petfolk clinic in Virginia, and is expected to be followed by more locations elsewhere in the state in the coming few years.
“In Richmond, we’re going to focus on this one, and then look at additional parts of the Virginia market. We’re long-term believers in the Virginia-D.C. corridor. We’re going to put multiple locations in that market over the next three to five years,” Wystrach said.
Petfolk provides both primary and urgent care for pets, the latter of which Wystrach said is a relatively new trend in animal medicine.
“Veterinary care is you either have your vet or you go into an emergency room. The cost for an emergency room can get very expensive. What we’re seeing is pet parents are looking for urgent care first,” Wystrach said.
Petfolk locations offer dental care, spay and neutering and diagnostics. The upcoming Midlothian clinic will operate out of a 2,200-square-foot space and have six exam rooms. Wystrach declined to share the investment made in the local clinic.
Petfolk offers a membership priced at $199 per year, which provides discounts on exams and vaccinations in addition to other perks. A membership isn’t required to make an appointment.
Petfolk has headquarters offices in New York and Charlotte, North Carolina. The company currently has nearly 50 clinics, according to Wystrach. Petfolk was ranked 160 in this year’s Inc. 5000 rankings of fastest-growing companies.
The company closed on a $40 million capital raise in August, and has raised more than $150 million from investors since 2022, the Charlotte Business Journal reported.
In addition to co-founding Petfolk, Wystrach co-founded meal delivery service Freshly, which was sold to Nestle in 2020. Wystrach and his sister Audrey Wystrach launched Petfolk that same year. Audrey is a veterinarian and the company’s co-CEO.
Petfolk is slated to be among the first businesses to open at Midlothian Depot, the new mixed-use development at Midlothian Turnpike and Alverser Drive. Marijuana-themed sandwich shop Cheba Hut has already opened, and the center’s anchor Whole Foods plans to open later this month.
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