Months after a freak accident all but destroyed his pet grooming business, David Ulery-Hart has reopened Professional Pet Grooming and Dog Wash.
But it was a different matter back on Dec. 24, when a car driven by three teenagers fleeing police rammed into his shop at 330 Wooster Road. Although it was a high-speed chase and alcohol was found in the car, the juveniles walked away with minor injuries.
The shop was not so lucky.
“I had feelings initially of calling it quits,” Ulery-Hart told the Mount Vernon News. “We had to basically go back in and redo everything we had already done because we were close to opening by that point.”
He found the motivation to prevent this setback from permanently derailing his plans.
“It just comes from my determination of always wanting my own business and making my own dreams come true," he said.
So, the day after Labor Day, and some $40,000 in repairs later (insurance covered most of it), he could reopen and continue catering to his clients. He now has five fully functional washing stations where pet owners can bathe their animals.
“We’re able to handle everything from extra-small dogs up to the largest breeds,” he said. “Basically, you come in, you pay a fee, you get access to the tubs, the towels, the dryer, shampoos, conditioners. You leave your mess, and we’ll clean it up for you.”
The charge to rent a self-serve wash station for small- to medium-sized dogs is $15. For large dogs, the cost is $20, and for extra-large dogs, $25. No appointments are necessary for washes or nail trimming.
Rebuilding the shop is the culmination of a 20-year career that has seen Ulery-Hart wash, clip and groom most four-legged critters.
Back in 2020, Ulery-Hart had purchased a building to occupy his business. Even before the accident, the property needed updates and renovation on the inside to make it usable.
“I used to groom out of my house,” he said. “But the business grew to the point where there was not enough room to accommodate customers. So, I came across the building, and we were in the process of turning it into a grooming shop.”
Ulery-Hart said that although he can’t escape the vision of seeing the back of a vehicle hanging out of his shop, he learned a valuable lesson from the experience.
“I would just say, don't ever give up. That's probably the worst thing you could do,” he said. “You just take everything with a grain of salt and move forward.”
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