Salon Thrives in Lee’s Summit

Pawsperity Grooming Salon Thrives in Lee’s Summit

Graduates bring their talents and the organization’s mission out of the urban core

BY MEG TOWNSEND

At the most basic level, Pawsperity Grooming Salon in Lee’s Summit, MO is a place where dogs and cats get groomed. But a deeper look reveals much more.

Joy is an elderly hound dog who is placed on a comforter when groomed because she can no longer stand. River is 60-pound Husky whose talkative howls seem like a language all her own. Oakley is a 9-month-old Goldendoodle who is hyper and wiggly. Rocky is a three-legged Pitbull who doesn’t like to have his one front leg touched.

Just like people, pets have a variety of personalities, quirks, and special needs – and the groomers at Pawsperity Grooming Salon understand this completely.

“Most of us who work here have been through a lot,” said Christine Banks, who graduated from The Grooming Project in 2016 and now manages the salon. “The dogs we groom all have differences, but they are all beautiful. And they’re doing the best they can -- no matter what life has thrown at them.”

Caring Expertise

Each of the six groomers at the salon are Pawsperity graduates and several of them went on to work at other places before coming to The Salon. The groomers’ varied experiences bring a rich bank of knowledge to the work environment. Grooming cats is a specialized skill. Christine Banks, Lee’s Summit salon manager, grooms a cat with Jeannie Dennison’s assistance.

“Even though I came here feeling confident about my grooming skills, I love the fact that other groomers are an arm’s length away,” said Christina Lough. “We can ask each other’s opinions and benefit from one another’s advice. That’s not something that’s available at other places. And it always results in a better service for the client.”

And the clients are taking notice.

Pawsperity Grooming Salon opened in Spring 2019 and is experiencing phenomenal growth – especially in 2022 as revenues have more than doubled since the previous year. Similarly, the number of clients has also grown greatly with nearly 1,000 new clients walking through the door in the last year.

A model that works

And that’s great news since the revenues from the salon, a 501(c)3, are funneled back to Pawsperity Grooming School on Troost, enhancing programming and services for the students to help lift their families out of poverty.

Ronnie Davis has built trust with this client who lets him clip him. Cassie Bratton cuddles her client during a groom.

It’s a model that’s funding Pawsperity’s overall mission, while also benefiting pet owners in the community and, as an added benefit, giving groomers a taste of what it takes to manage their own salon – a desire for many of them.

The groomers are kept informed about goals for the number of grooms per day and sales per month. They are asked for their suggestions on ways to improve service and attract and retain clients. They are learning business principles that can one day help them succeed on their own.

It’s a win-win business model that is hoped to be duplicated as part of the new, expanded grooming school scheduled to open next year on Troost in Kansas City. Each of the six groomers at the salon are Pawsperity graduates and several of them went on to work at other places before coming to The Salon. The groomers’ varied experiences bring a rich bank of knowledge to the work environment.

Keys to success

While The Salon is running on all cylinders today, like all new businesses, it was not without a learning curve.

A year ago, Theresa Hauck, Pawsperity’s former operations manager, consulted with The Salon to find ways to heighten customer service, particularly when it came to communication between groomers and their clients. “Our groomers at Pawsperity Grooming Salon are taught to ask pet owners about their desires and concerns for their pet and to listen – really listen – to what the client has to say. And on the rare occasion when a client is unhappy with some aspect of the grooming, that input is important, too. Good customer service is dependent on two-way communication.”

Jodie Houston carefully shaves off excess hair to prevent matting.

The groomers are kept informed about goals for the number of grooms per day and sales per month. They are asked for their suggestions on ways to improve service and attract and retain clients. They are learning business principles that can one day help them succeed on their own.

Patsy Groom, who has been a client since 2019, agrees.

“Pawsperity Grooming Salon was great with my elderly dog Elmo who had been injured by a groomer at a different establishment,” Patsy said. “He was incredibly nervous and irritated at first, but Christine was so patient with him. Each time he got groomed, we’d talk about how the grooming went. Elmo grew to love and trust Christine, and so did I!” * Positive energy

“Pets are considered members of one’s family,” Christine says, “and when they come to The Salon, they should be talked to in a soothing voice, cuddled and called by their name. Animals are smart; they pick up on positive energy.”

There are days, of course, when the groomers’ stresses outside the job – due to finances, child issues or past traumas – can make staying positive difficult. “We all know each other’s stories and we understand what it’s like to have past traumas,” says Jodie Houston. “While we try never to bring our troubles to work, it’s nice to know my co-workers are here if I need to talk. They understand. They’ve been through similar things.”

Recently, one of the groomers had to take time off to handle a family emergency, and a co-worker willingly stepped in so clients wouldn’t have to be rescheduled.

“We are a team, and we really consider ourselves to be like family,” Christine said. “And, I think the pets and their owners feel that, too.”

* Sadly, Elmo passed away earlier this year; happily, Christine now grooms Patsy’s new puppy Mushu.