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How far would you travel to have your dog groomed?

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  • 25-04-2009 4:27pm
    #1
    Abrean
    Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭


    I would like to find out how far people in general are willing to travel to have their dog groomed?

    I would like to set up my own grooming business, I want to run it from my home but my problem is I live in a small village that is about 20 minutes from both Wicklow and Arklow which are the nearest large towns and where I would hope to get most of my business from. I would be willing to open early, stay open late or work weekends, whatever it takes to get this business off the ground and attract customers and their dogs.

    So what does everyone think, would you travel that far?


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    #2
    EGAR
    Registered Users Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭EGAR


    I am not trying to rain on your parade but a good friend of mine who is only a 10 minute drive from Galway had to close her grooming parlour as no one is willing to drive anymore and with the recession hitting hard alot of peeps have started to groom their dogs at home. Like you she was open on weekends and late in the evenings in the hope she could remain open.


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    #3
    star-pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    I live in Churchtown, and I travel to Balbriggan (which takes an hour roughly, with little traffic) but it's more than worth it for the place we go.
    (~60km I think?)


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    #4
    Munster Gal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 342 ✭✭Munster Gal


    If you do all the speciality cuts and offer a very high standard people probably will travel but for the general cut & tidy I don't think people will go too far out of their way. A former neighbour of ours used to travel 40 miles to have her Rough Collie groomed. There has been a noticable decline in business in recent times - an ex-colleague of mine started up a few years ago and commented on it the last time I spoke to her. Good luck!!!


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    #5
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    It depends, to get clients is one thing but to get them to come back can be tricky but if you provide a really good service and know all the various cuts and do a good job then people will come back. Prices have to be reasonable too though one place their prices start at €45.00 and yet the groomer I use charges me as I'm a regular €30.00 to €35.00.

    So if you do a special discount for regular customers that might encourage people.

    Seeing as you live half way between Arklow and Wicklow are you near the main road so people travelling between both places can get to you easy enough?

    I would say if starting up keep it basic have all the equip. you need but try and keep costs down until the buisness picks up.

    I travel about 15 minutes which isn't far and 20 mins is nothing.
    Wicklow has tons of doting dog owners even more so than years ago the Murragh always has people on it walking their pooches.
    Many people travel from Wicklow and surrounding are to shop in Arklow so could drop their dog off to you on their way and when they finish their shopping collect the dog.

    Best of luck with whatever you decide and when advertising to advertise in all the vets and pet shops, my oulds live in Roundwood but go to Arklow every few weeks unfortunetly their pooch has very short hair and doesn't ever need grooming but they know plenty of dog owners.


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    #6
    marlin vs
    Registered Users Posts: 1,630 ✭✭✭marlin vs


    Canada.


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    #7
    hadook
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭hadook


    My groomers collect the dogs, is that a possibility?


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    #8
    Abrean
    Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭Abrean


    thanks to everyone who replied its all very helpful and given me alot to think about.

    Guineapigrescue, Im not on the main road from wicklow to arklow, you can travel out my way from one town to the other but it would be out of your way, this is the main reason Im worried about not getting business despite being fairly close to both towns.

    hadook, I had thought of offering a collection service as it would definetly be a possibility, does your groomer charge for this?


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    #9
    star-pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    Abrean wrote: »
    hadook, I had thought of offering a collection service as it would definetly be a possibility, does your groomer charge for this?

    The only thing I say against this is (I was discussing this with my dogs groomer yesterday) -- trust, I don't know that I'd hand my dog over to someone in a parking lot (or wherever) that I didn't know. (obviously after someones established a regular you could offer it then)


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    #10
    hadook
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭hadook


    Abrean wrote: »
    hadook, I had thought of offering a collection service as it would definetly be a possibility, does your groomer charge for this?

    Nope, my groomer doesn't charge for collection.They're not the cheapest around but my dogs adore going to them and they always do an excellent job. They'll take all three of my dogs too which is another major selling point (a lot of groomers refused to do the Dane and she's by far the easiest of the three to deal with).


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