Kansas City – September 22, 2026 -- The Dog Stop, an all-in-one dog care brand, will open its first Kansas City location in late October at 2713 Cherry St., bringing daycare, boarding, grooming and retail services to the Midtown, Downtown, Crown Center, Union Hill, Hyde Park, Crossroads and River Market neighborhoods.
A husband-and-wife team leads the new franchise
Charlie and Ellen Tocco own The Dog Stop Kansas City, with Charlie handling day-to-day operations. Charlie, a Kansas City native and Rockhurst University graduate, previously worked in public accounting before moving into entrepreneurship. Ellen, a University of Kansas graduate, continues her career in health care technology while co-running the business. "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," said Charlie.
The 10,000-square-foot facility includes specialized play spaces
The location will span roughly 8,500 square feet of indoor space plus 1,500 square feet outdoors. Plans call for multiple play yards separated by energy level and age, including dedicated areas for lower-energy dogs, high-energy dogs and older dogs. A "Very Independent Player" space will also be available for dogs that do better with one-on-one care rather than group play.
Staff will train under Fear Free protocols
Through a partnership with Fear Free, all Kansas City team members will receive training to recognize and reduce fear, anxiety and stress in dogs during boarding, daycare, grooming and everyday handling. The facility will also offer 24/7 camera access for owners and individualized care plans.
The owners plan community partnerships after opening
Charlie and Ellen intend to explore partnerships with local rescue organizations, including efforts to help rescue dogs access grooming services and potentially hosting adoption events at the facility.