A Round of “Appaws” for Hounds Town USA as It Expands Its Footprint to the Atlanta Metro Area

Hounds Town USA has been offering a safe and welcoming environment for dogs since 2000. With interactive doggie daycare, pet boarding, dog grooming, a pet taxi and retail services, it’s a unique destination for dogs—and franchise owners. Founded by former NYPD canine handler and commanding officer of the Nassau County Police Department Michael (Mike) S. Gould, Hounds Town has grown to more than 11 open locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.

**One state currently in development is Georgia, thanks to Hounds Town USA’s newest franchisee Michelle Eason. Eason is gearing up to open her doggie daycare franchise in Stone Mountain, marking the brand’s first foray into the Atlanta metro market. According to Jackie Bondaza, president at Hounds Town USA, Eason’s opening, and the Atlanta metro area in general, represents a significant growth opportunity for the New York-based brand.

“Atlanta is home to nearly six million people and is one of the Top 10 largest cities in the country,” Bondanza said. “At present, it is completely underserved by reliable pet care facilities like Hounds Town. The majority of households have a pet, but many cities like Atlanta do not have great options for pet-care places that truly understand the dog brain and what dogs need to live a balanced life in our urban and suburban human environments.”

Atlanta market expansion

Expanding to Atlanta is a huge win for the brand since the city contains the fourth-fastest-growing population out of any major U.S. city, and the demand for reliable pet care will only increase as the city grows, Bondanza added.

Eason, a resident of nearby Lawrenceville, knew she wanted to open a space for fellow dog-lovers in her community to have a fun and safe place to bring their furry friends while at work or travelling. “I wanted to give the pet parents in my community a place for their dogs to go and just be dogs,” Eason said. “There was a large gap in my community for a place like that—once I learned about Hounds Town and had the chance to meet with Mike and Jackie, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.”

In addition to Atlanta, Hounds Town USA is currently developing locations in the following markets: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Bucks County, Pennsylvania; Palm Coast and Orlando, Florida; Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; Montgomery County, Maryland; and Nashville, Tennessee.

National growth plans

The brand currently has two locations in development in the greater Nashville area, which also represent a significant growth opportunity. “With nearly 750,000 people in the Nashville proper area, most of them being younger working people with pets, the demand for reliable and affordable pet care has never been higher,” Bondanza said. “Also, Nashville has some of the higher population growth numbers in the country, so we are looking forward to tapping into this opportunity.”

What’s more, Hounds Town’s USA’s expansion into the Las Vegas market provides ample opportunity for growth in the region. “We are very excited to break ground in Las Vegas—we believe this location will help open up the market and bring awareness about our brand to cities in Colorado, Arizona and Texas: three of our target growth markets.”

Bondanza anticipates the Las Vegas Hounds Town USA location will be open by the end of 2020.

As far as 2020 growth goals go, Hounds Town USA ideally would like to sign 15–20 new franchisees. The brand plans to increase that number by at least 10 new franchisees each year. “We are looking to tap into the popularity of franchising and the tremendous opportunities within the booming pet care space to grow our brand each.”

Thanks to its relatable branding, low cost of entry and strong leadership team, the time has never been better to become a Hounds Town USA franchisee. “Our unique business combines 40+ years of knowledge about dogs and the animal brain with proprietary methods of build out that make us the lowest cost option for what we offer,” Bondanza said. “No one has the experience and knowledge we have and there’s no time like now to get in on this!”