The Dog Stop Announces First Kansas City Location

September 22, 2026 // Franchising.com // KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Dog Stop is expanding into the Kansas City market with its first location opening in late October at 2713 Cherry St. The location will provide dog daycare, boarding, grooming, and retail services to dogs and their families throughout Kansas City, including the Midtown, Downtown, Crown Center, Union Hill, Hyde Park, Crossroads and River Market neighborhoods.

Husband-and-wife duo, Charlie and Ellen Tocco, will be leading the charge as owners of The Dog Stop Kansas City, with Charlie managing the day-to-day operations. Together, they are combining their professional backgrounds with a shared love of dogs to bring a new pet care option to the rapidly growing Midtown and Downtown community.

Born and raised in Kansas City, Charlie attended Rockhurst University and built his career in public accounting before deciding to pursue entrepreneurship. “We know how valuable dogs are to their families because ours are such a big part of our own lives,” said Charlie. “As we looked at different franchise opportunities, The Dog Stop stood out because it allowed us to build a business around something we genuinely care about while benefiting from a system and brand that have already been established.” Ellen, a University of Kansas graduate who continues her career in health care technology, was equally excited by the opportunity to build a family-owned and operated business.

Fittingly, dogs have been part of Ellen and Charlie’s story since before they were even a couple. Charlie’s Patterdale Terrier, Pumpkin, stole Ellen’s heart before she’d even met Charlie. Ellen first spotted Pumpkin while socializing with Charlie’s then roommates and describes the interaction as “love at first sight.” Weeks later, Charlie met Ellen while he was out walking a friend’s German Shepherd on the Country Club Plaza. Today, the couple’s family includes Pumpkin, now 14 (she continues to steal Ellen’s heart), their 4-year-old Mountain Cur, Tiger, and their two young daughters, a 2-year-old and a newborn. As longtime dog parents and now parents to two little girls, Ellen and Charlie understand just how much pets are part of the family and how important it is to have a place you genuinely trust to care for them when you can’t be there, which is one of the reasons bringing The Dog Stop to Kansas City felt like such a natural fit.

“We were drawn to the family-oriented culture of The Dog Stop and its focus on both the dogs and the relationship with their owners, and we can’t wait to introduce our community to The Dog Stop difference,” continued Charlie.

Ellen and Charlie believe that The Dog Stop’s focus on transparency and individualized dog care, 24/7 camera access, thoughtfully designed play spaces, highly trained staff, and options for dogs who may not thrive in traditional group play, will set it apart from other dog care options. The Dog Stop Kansas City is designed to give dog parents peace of mind that their dog is safe, happy and cared for like family.

The Kansas City facility comprises approximately 8,500 square feet of indoor space and 1,500 square feet of outdoor space, with multiple play yards designed to accommodate dogs of different ages, energy levels, and play styles, including dedicated areas for lower-energy dogs, high-energy dogs, and older dogs. A Very Independent Player space will be available for dogs that do better with one-on-one care rather than traditional group play, with services including daycare, boarding, grooming, and retail.

Through The Dog Stop’s Fear Free partnership, all Kansas City team members will receive specialized training designed to recognize and reduce fear, anxiety and stress in dogs. From boarding and daycare to grooming and everyday handling, staff will use Fear Free principles to create a calmer, more positive experience — especially in situations that can naturally be stressful for pets. The goal is to help every dog feel as safe, comfortable and secure as possible while away from home.

As Charlie and Ellen prepare to open the location, they’re looking forward to becoming even more involved in the Kansas City pet community. They plan on exploring partnerships with local rescue organizations, including opportunities to help rescue dogs access grooming services and potentially hosting adoption events at the facility.

SOURCE The Dog Stop

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