VIP Grooming
San Francisco, CA
VIP Grooming is a full-service dog salon. They provide exceptional full-grooming services including bathing, nail trims, and haircuts. Owner Lancy Woo has been dog grooming for 30 years, and she has owned VIP Grooming for 16 years. The former owner sold the business to Lancy, an employee there at the time. The business needed a huge overhaul, including upgrading equipment and hiring new staff. “It was great to have a resource like Main Street Launch. They worked with us as we incorporated, separated the business financials, and worked on our business plan,” reflects Lancy.
Since then, VIP Grooming has grown each year, winning “Best of the Bay” five times. “Our goal is to have integrity around the animals, our staff, and our training so that we can offer the highest quality service,” says Lancy.
“Grooming is a service industry, so you have to be good at what you do,” advises Lancy. “We started in Noe Valley and built a reputation with our clients and with dog walkers. San Francisco can be difficult when you have employees because of the rules and regulations, so have to dot your i’s and cross your t’s.”
In 2015, Lancy and her partner decided to pursue a second location and offer additional services to teach their customers how to wash their own dogs, an idea that became VIP Scrub Club. VIP Scrub Club is a dog washing and dog social club that offers self-serve tubs and full-service bathing. They host events to teach customers how to bathe their dogs and to offer opportunities for dog owners to socialize their dogs.
“When we found the location, we knew we had to jump on this perfect opportunity to expand the business. We couldn’t have done it without the second loan from Main Street Launch,” says Lancy. “The loan allowed us to revamp the new place, set aside money we’d need to grow this new investment, purchase equipment, and help us expand our staff.” In addition to running the business, VIP collaborates with local pet stores and other business owners to support each other and invest in their neighborhood in Noe Valley.
