Husband and Wife Team Sign Three Unit Deal to Bring Hounds Town USA to Orlando

Husband-and-wife franchisees Shaun and Paige Allen definitely don’t know the meaning of the words “sit, stay.” The never-passive pair have three kids and two dogs, a pitbull and French bulldog. 

Having utilized daycare services for their pets over the years (from childhood to now), the couple is now bringing the first locations of Hounds Town USA to Florida, specifically in Orlando. 

The Allens decided to seek out franchising opportunities as they wanted to build something of their own and provide a necessary service to residents in their community. When looking into potential options, their love of animals is what captured their interest. In addition, the two were looking for a brand with a proven model with recurring revenue, and a penchant for organic growth thanks to exceptional customer service (for both two- and four-legged visitors).

“I grew up with animals my whole life,” said Paige. “I was always bringing animals home and begging my parents to keep them. When it came time to board our dog, finding someone we trusted was huge. To this day, we are very much customers in the doggy daycare space. It gave us a good idea of what we want on the customer side, as well as what our dogs need.” 

The two came across Hounds Town USA after doing extensive online research within the pet franchise space, which aligned perfectly with their business goals and demonstrated a personable, family feel. 

“A few years ago, we had been researching boarding and doggie day care franchises,” said Paige. “We looked at companies like Dogtopia, Camp Bow Wow, and they seemed kind of robotic because they were so large. Then, we came across Hounds Town USA and loved their business model, the size of the brand and their growth strategy. Once we met Founder Mike Gould and Hounds Town President Jackie Bondanza, it was kind of history from there.” 

Paige is a Florida native, having graduated with a degree from UCF in Public Administration in 2014. She worked for the local school board in the district police office across diverse roles including budgeting and HR. Shaun currently works for a major automotive dealership in the Orlando area, where he has built a career over the last 17 years—ever since he moved to Florida from Tennessee. This hasn’t stopped him from continuing to be a die-hard Titans fan though, as both Shaun and Paige hold season tickets and visit family back in Tennessee when possible. 

“We’re extremely excited for the Allens to represent Hounds Town and bring our brand to Florida,” said Bondanza. “We see Orlando as a great opportunity to work with pet owners in the area currently in need of the services we provide. Beyond Orlando, we expect to continue expansion throughout Florida, including Tampa, as well as Nashville, Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Philadelphia.”  

The Allens have signed on to open three Hounds Town USA locations in Orlando and are currently sourcing prime real estate for their first location, with hopes to open one of the other two units in Lake Nona, where they reside. They plan to open within the next six months, and to then launch a new Hounds Town location each year for the next several years. Ultimately, the pair said they could see developing the entire Florida market and expanding from there. The two feel that the Orlando area is very much in need of the services they plan to provide local residents. 

“Most facilities here are mom-and-pop, and a lot of them are at capacity, so there’s an opportunity for a new player,” said Shaun. “Because of the business model that Jackie and Mike have created, we know we have the support behind us to grow this brand and make a significant impact in the communities we will serve. There are plenty of competitors here, but they aren’t operated like Hounds Town USA.”

The start-up costs for opening a Hounds Town USA is $250,000 to $400,000 with a $45,000 franchise fee. To learn more about franchising opportunities with Hounds Town USA, click here.