OK, we have all heard of franchises in the forms of restaurants, home repairs etc. But a cat grooming franchise? A franchise is nothing more than a duplicate of a finely tuned and successful business. So why not cat grooming?
Having an emerging franchise, as many of you may know is not easy. No one wants to be one of the first ones on board. But the thing is, this is not a new business. This month marks 18 years of a very successful business and the selling of the corporate store in Edmonds, WA., which is doing fantastic by the way. But still people find it odd. If you are not an animal or cat lover, this may seem foreign to you. But let’s take a look at the research in the pet industry. Americans spent over 4 Billion dollars on their pets last year alone. That is 60% larger than the toy industry and 33% larger than the candy industry! The pet industry is the fastest growing retail and service industry, second only to the electronic industry. So for those of you that think a cat grooming salon is a “nice hobby”, think again. Considering the average City Kitty salon does a minimum of 10 cats a day and up to 24 cats a day at an average of $100 per cat….well, you get the picture. This is real money, this is a real business. Just because it is fun meeting all the clients and their cats does not take away from the numbers of the business. And during the recessive financial times, such as in 2008, this business grew 25% that year alone.
There are now more cats than dogs in households, so it only makes sense that the need for services and products has grown as well. We get calls from all over the nation for people wondering if we have a salon near them, that they can’t find anyone but a dog groomer to do their cat. And who wants to bring their cat into a barking dog salon? Our salon is quiet, serene and peaceful, just what cats like.
As I write this I am reminded of when I started the business in August of 2000. People thought I was bonkers, the thought of a “what” grooming salon was crazy. But I built it____and they came. Our Edmonds, WA salon has clients driving up to 100 miles to see us and our fantastic unique products. Back in 2000, I had 5 clients. Today we have over 2700, with new people coming in daily. For example we had 5 new cats today alone! With a repeat business like this, it has been very successful. And what a ride! There are cats and people I will never forget. Not only is this a successful career, but a rewarding one too. I have formed life long friends, and bonded with so many beautiful cats. It has been an incredible journey!