Dreamstime People spend an insane amount of money on their dogs, and getting any kind of package in the mail is an exciting event during these quarantine times. BarkBox satisfies both of those cravings, offering monthly subscription boxes full of dog toys, treats, and other goodies for America’s four-legged companions. The eight-year-old company has seen a 58% surge in subscriptions in 2020, to over 1 million as of December. Taking advantage of that momentum—and with an eye toward expanding to new product categories and international markets—BarkBox announced on Thursday its plans to merge with The deal values BarkBox at $1.6 billion before proceeds and is expected to close early next year. BarkBox will become publicly traded via the transaction, and Northern Star’s ticker will change to BARK.