Mother-daughter team open new dog grooming business in Ephrata

EPHRATA — A shared love of animals and a desire to serve local pet owners led a mother-daughter team to open Groomer Has It, a new dog grooming business in downtown Ephrata. 

The business, owned by Paige Moore and her mother, Millie Roduner, officially opened Aug. 7 at 217 W. Division St. 

For Moore, opening her own grooming salon had been a goal for years. 

"I've been dog grooming for a few years, and I just loved it so much," Moore said. "I love animals, so I've always wanted to have my own." 

Roduner said the decision became an easy one as both women looked for a new venture. 

"We love animals," Roduner said. "So why not?" 

Three weeks after opening, the pair said the response from the community has been encouraging. 

"Actually, pretty good," Moore said. "I feel like we picked up pretty fast." 

Roduner said community members have frequently stopped by to introduce themselves and check out the new business. 

"A lot of people stop in and do that," she said. "It's very welcoming." 

Groomer Has It offers a range of services including baths, deshedding treatments, mud baths for dogs with skin issues, nail trims and full grooming services with breed-specific or customized haircuts. 

While the shop currently focuses exclusively on dogs, Moore said she has considered expanding into cat grooming in the future. 

The business aims to provide more than just a haircut. 

"It's kind of like a dog spa," Moore said. 

One of the aspects Moore enjoys most about grooming is getting to know each dog's personality. 

"I like seeing all their different personalities when you're working on them," she said. "Sometimes you get the harder cases where they're matted or they don't have the best home, and you can kind of help them out, make them feel happier." 

Roduner said it's rewarding to watch nervous dogs relax during the grooming process. 

"You get to see as you're bathing them and as you're grooming them, the personalities come out," she said. "They start relaxing and they start playing." 

Working with anxious dogs requires patience, according to the pair. 

"Most of the time I just try to take it really slow with them," Moore said. "If they're kind of scared of the hose, I'll just put a little bit of water on their face and see. Just slow everything down as much as you can." 

Roduner agreed. "I think they feed a lot of their reactions off of our energy," she said. "If we're frustrated, sometimes you take a break, walk outside or just take a minute and return to it." 

The pair said one advantage of a locally owned grooming shop is the ability to spend additional time with each pet. 

"I think we take our time more," Moore said. "We can go a little slower with the dogs." 

Roduner said the experience is designed to be more personal for both pets and their owners. 

"We get to put more into it, more care, more time," she said. 

The groomers also make a point of learning about a dog's background before beginning services, including injuries, anxiety triggers or previous negative experiences. 

"We like to know if they have any injuries before we start their grooming so we can be mindful of that," Roduner said. 

Moore said one challenge many groomers face is severe matting in long-haired dogs. 

"When they're matted and you try to brush them, it actually hurts them," she said. 

In some cases, she said, shaving the coat and allowing it to regrow can be the most humane option. 

"You don't want to hurt them and make them traumatized," Moore said. "You want them to be relaxed and feel okay coming back." 

The owners said they also recognized a growing need for grooming services in the area. 

Roduner said she frequently heard from residents struggling to get appointments because existing groomers were booked weeks in advance. 

"There's a need for it," she said. 

Although schedules are beginning to fill, Groomer Has It can still occasionally accommodate same-day appointments. 

The business also offers discounts for military members and first responders, including firefighters, EMTs and law enforcement officers. 

"I think what they do is just really important, and they don't get enough appreciation," Roduner said. "We'd like to give back." 

The business has become a family effort beyond the mother-daughter ownership team. Roduner credited her husband and son with helping transform the former Heritage Appraisal office into the grooming salon customers see today. 

"The boys built the desk, and they built our lighting fixture, our boards," she said. "They were hard at work." 

Greeting customers from inside the shop is Cocoa, the family's dog and official mascot. Cocoa's image appears on the storefront, and she is often on-site welcoming visitors. 

"She's our little mascot," Roduner said. 

For Moore and Roduner, the goal is simple: provide a comfortable experience for pets while building relationships with their owners. 

"Come in, walk in, check the building out," Roduner said. "We love meeting new people. We love meeting the fur babies." 

Groomer Has It 

217 W. Division St., Ephrata 

509-431-9489 

[email protected] 

    Groomer Has It, a new grooming business in Ephrata has been open for almost a month now. Paige Moore and her mother Millie Roduner opened the business with their shared love of animals.
  

    Groomer Has It mascot Cocoa waits patiently for a treat. Cocoa is featured on the front of the business, business cards and can be often found greeting customers.