Here's one ugly shop

[Pixie]

and it happens to be mine. It is a garage and I've groomed in here for 13 yrs, with a few improvements, really. lol

City regulations says I can't turn my garage into a nice shop because this is where I'm suppose to park my car. Car does not fit, needless to say.

Can't do any permanent changes. So this is what I'm stuck with.

The first one is the grooming/bathing/drying area and the second is my photo area.

Are there any other ugly shops out there or am I the only "lucky" one to have one?

[ljbrooks]

Well, I can't see your pics yet, but I do currently have one ugly shop. It is a corner of the shop where my hubby parks his motorcycle and has all his "boy stuff". I have to cover the motorcycle when I groom so hair doesn't fly all over it.

We have plans to wall it in. I suppose if the walls are removable (aren't all walls, technically, removable?) maybe you could sneak it by the code. We're just making my space more user friendly for my family. I already pick up 95% of my dogs so very few clients ever see it. It is pretty sad when they do see it though.

[sheilabgroomer]

Gotta love the regulations that tell you what you can and can't do w/the property that YOU pay for (yes I know there is a reason for regulations, but they are ridiculous sometimes). I don't think your shop looks so terribly ugly, I worked in an uglier one when I first started. BTW, what are the bats for?? Sedation???? lol

[Mary1980]

At least you have a valid excuse. lol I applied at a shop, they had me there for like 3 hours training me. When I was only there to see if I wanted to work there. Don't get me wrong they were so nice but the place was so cramped there was no room to move and everything was so dingy and barely worked. There was no reason for it either because they had a big area. They just chose to leave the other room empty which was bigger. I have no idea why. They also had no actual cages they used big dog kennels piled on top of each other. The costumers could see this too. It did not look safe. This was a commercial location also and they got tons of business. There were 20 dogs that day and they were booked for 2 weeks with 15 to 20 a day, no lie.

[borzoimom]

I too have an ugly shop. Mine is very ugly! I groom from my garage also. I have pushed all of my hubby's tools and Etc. to one corner of the garage. We did put in a drop ceiling and put up white paneling when we insulated the garage. However my client's still see a HUGE red tool chest, an upright freezer, my big dog food containers, and my big treadmill, which is used to work the showdogs (not me). But I have so many clients, I have stopped taking new clients, I am booked out 5 weeks in advance at this time. I think the fact that I care for the animals, love to spoil them and turn out beautiful grooms lets my clients overlook the surroundings. I conduct myself in a professional manner, keep the shop areas clean and smelling good, and can get away with charging the highest prices in the area! Someday I will have a REAL shop but until then it's an ugly shop.

[SuziJ]

Oh No! I had the uglyest and smallest shop! and there was nothing I could do about it either because it was in the storage area of the appartment building I lived in! the room was only 5 ft by 8 ft and yucky gray walls,I could not even paint with out permission.

I cannot post a picture because I am in transit to our next location and posting from My Mom's computer. But I will when we get our house stuff delivered on the other side ( In a few months) I just double checked to see if maybe Mom had any pictures of it and she does not.

[Pixie]

Gotta love the regulations that tell you what you can and can't do w/the property that YOU pay for (yes I know there is a reason for regulations, but they are ridiculous sometimes). I don't think your shop looks so terribly ugly, I worked in an uglier one when I first started. BTW, what are the bats for?? Sedation???? lol

No the bats are not for sedation (would be nice sometimes JUST KIDDING). They are part of the background this month for my photo's, baseball theme. Last year I also had a mite with it, forgot to get one out this year, guess I should do that too.

Nice to know that others have an ugly shop, and I'm not the only one working like this. All any one posts are the nice pretty new shops that they just remodeled, or just finished. My shop is kept clean, as clean as a garage can be. My clients do see it because I don't go and get their dogs they come to me and they keep coming. I must be doing something right.

I think if the city wants to tell me what I can and can't do with my property they should help make my mortage payments. lol That will be the day!!!

[milhasavilla]

Your shop isn't so ugly! I am not kidding you - I worked in the ugliest shop of them all once upon a time! It was scarey, grody ugly too!! That shop was crazy busy too (which is one reason the owner didn't want to do any upkeep - she figured she didn't have to, at least not for the clientele). Would've been nice for the groomers though, to have it a bit nicer. Your shop is not bad at all Diane - it looks garagey, but it is one - and that's not a bad thing. I like your photo booth - it's a fun idea. I love all your pics of the doggies posing - really CUTE!

So Mary, are you gonna take the job? I was wondering what you've been up to!

[Mary1980]

Hey Suzie!!

Yeah I've been so busy. I've been working at shop around the corner from my house. The guy is so nice. The shop is kind of crumy looking and he only uses one kind of cheap shampoo but other then that he's great. He splits all his tips with me, even the dogs I don't even touch, buys me breakfast and lunch. Plus pays me 9 an hour. I start Nash in June. So things are going pretty good.

How have you been? I hope all is well! Have you been doing the treasure hunt? I'm one word away and going nuts. Ya know even with 7 coins I can't build a sentence! I'm hoping the last coin is magically going to put them all together lol.

[milhasavilla]

Hey Suzie!!

Yeah I've been so busy. I've been working at shop around the corner from my house. The guy is so nice. The shop is kind of crumy looking and he only uses one kind of cheap shampoo but other then that he's great. He splits all his tips with me, even the dogs I don't even touch, buys me breakfast and lunch. Plus pays me 9 an hour. I start Nash in June. So things are going pretty good.

How have you been? I hope all is well! Have you been doing the treasure hunt? I'm one word away and going nuts. Ya know even with 7 coins I can't build a sentence! I'm hoping the last coin is magically going to put them all together lol.

Yay! So glad for you Mary!! Besides the crummy shop, the job sounds great. And June is just around the corner! I hear Nash is wonderful...You can come back and then teach me some stuff ok. Things are going good here - I hired a p/t assistant. She's a sweetheart and it's been working out good, she's been a HUGE help even though she didn't know a thing about grooming....sigh. Ok, the whole post about the treasure hunt had me lost. See that's why I don't do those things. I don't have a clue!! Good luck - I hope you win!!!!! Congrats again on your new job!!!!!

[redbird]

Me too

7 coins and I feel like I haven't slept.

Not enough to make a guess.

I want to scream.

Stephen: There's no rush really, you have until July 6.

[Gracy Rose]

YES, BUT just think... How many people from other Countries would love to be self-employed (ugly shop or not)?

[Allan]

Diane,
I must say that I am truely offended by your attitude.......I have a garage shop that I built myself and can see by the photos that I have the same equiptment as you,the same floor as you and a wonderful client base that doesn't care how my shop looks but how their dog looks when they leave.
Don't let the appearance get you down! Keep it clean and take care of the dogs........by the way,I'm not offended at all! I am doing 35-40 dogs each week and every day I get between 4 and 9 calls for grooming. I don't advertise and don't have to....Keep up the good work!!

[CountryCanines]

Girl I have seen WAY worse shops! LOL.. Youre doing great w/ the space you have, its not bad Dont be so hard on yourself, sounds like you have a wonderful clientele!

[ejmj30]

First off, it's far from ugly. Utilitarian is a better word I think. You could always add some pretty touches that are far from permanent...plants, pictures, pretty mirrors, something like that, and you can always paint the ceiling a fun color or even white giving it a larger, cleaner feel. I think it looks great, and like Allan said it's more important how the dog's look than how your shop looks.