Anyone Working in the San Francisco Area?

[WashaWasha]

Hi, I'm new here. I have a mobile grooming van...have never really given it much of a chance and thought I'd try to start my business up again on the SF peninsula. Just wondering what pricing is like here, any suggestions...would be greatly appreciated. Also any suggestions to local repair shops that work on vans/generators would be appreciated too. My generator is currently not turning over :-( but I can plug in.

Thanks,
Carrie

[Meesh]

Wow, my brother lives in San Fran and I visited a few months ago; all I could think with all those hills was how the heck would I run a mobile groming biz here?! Even if you found a place to park you'd be far from level trying to work in the back.

Cost of living in the area is sky high, so you can probably get top dollar for your grooming though.

Good luck!!

[mustluvdogs1]

Meesh,Carrie.....

I know a great guy who did my first van conversion in San Jose. I lived in San Mateo and was mobile til I moved here. Private email me for info. As for hills...no not in the city but by the zoo it is flat. I only went to So SFa little and San Bruno. I went to Woodside, Atherton, Palo Alto Redwood City etc all very lucritive. Hillsborough not so much and the richer, the cheaper in some cases .Burlingame good too.I wonder if Nicole still has my X van? She lived in Brisbane and went all the way to Portola Valley. PM me, lot to tell ya. Never got to do Joes' dog. Did groom Darryls pup once, he had left 49ers and gave me a signed poster w/ Joe and Rice etc. I framed it but it is behind tv, I got tired of looking at them.haha BTW .280 was always a nice drive. I can't go back, memories would be too sad, cuz my mom is gone now. Miss is sometimes....Great city,SF. Just a very unique place, like no other US city. Oh, gettin sentimental......

[TAILSRWAGON]

Miss it too - NOT (Okay,Sometimes)

I have a really good friend that owns a shop in the Castro District of SF. He investigated mobile and found problems with parking, hills and places to dump the grey water.
Depending on where you will be setting up, there was only one mobile in Hayward (just east of San Mateo) and was booked out over 6 months. That was in the spring of 2005, not sure if there are any more now.
There is most definately a market that can be tapped into.
I just don't believe it will fly in the city limits of SF.
I would have gone mobile in CA but could not afford the business ramp up. Make sure you have plenty of money set aside until you are making enough to cover expenses.

[marcey]

San Jose...

Hi Carrie,

I bought my first grooming van in downtown San Jose from a mobiler who was retiring. She groomed only small dogs and said that she knew of 4 other mobiles that lived within the downtown area alone. She was busy as ever, and only had a one-liner in the phone book.

I would contact any mobiles you can, and give them your name, #, areas served, etc. They are probably busy enough to toss you some bones Good luck!!