It’s August and for the many of the 7,712 licensed dogs in Laguna Beach that means haircut time. Business “really picks up in the summer,” says Coast Pet Grooming owner Jessica Madrid, whose shop on North Coast Highway has been fully booked for weeks.
The demand should come as no surprise considering that there are only three other groomers in town, including one who works from a mobile unit. Two of the veterinarian’s offices in town also will wash dogs, but only one cuts their coats.
With such a hectic summer schedule, Madrid took it in stride when one of her groomers quit. Then, the bad news started piling up when two weeks ago Madrid broke a bone in her hand during roller derby practice.
Initially, she thought the pain would subside, but after a good look she noticed a crooked finger. Casting was necessary, the doctor explained, because the bone was so close to her wrist. “Breaking my collar bone and kneecap were a million times worse,” said the 10-year roller derby veteran, noting that she and her teammates treat practices like actual games.
At the grooming shop “we are figuring it out,” she said, pointing out that with casts that can be submerged in water, she can still bathe dogs. Losing staff is something all shops contend with. And Madrid, who calls her staff “family,” has learned how to cope after 20 years in the industry.
Madrid discovered a career path that she finds satisfying through an uncomfortable experience in college. While working as an intern at the Pasadena Humane Society “kitty season” hit. “Our shelter was packed, we had to put down so many,” she said. Even though the cats had peaceful deaths, the experience angered her. She wondered why owners don’t neuter their animals.
Four years into veterinarian school, she decided to shift gears. She had been only 15 when she started working in her cousin’s Alhambra pet grooming shop. While learning about the business and perfecting her skills, she became convinced that she wanted a career working with animals. After high school she enrolled in veterinary school and continued to work as a groomer. After eight months at the Humane Society, Madrid decided to focus solely on grooming.
She took the lead position training groomers in a mobile pet grooming franchise. When the company expanded in Japan, she went to Tokyo with a translator to train groomers to work quickly on their own in a mobile unit’s close quarters. “These groomers were already experienced, but in this industry we trade skills,” Madrid said.
While groomers may share expertise with each other, customers choose carefully who takes care of their pets. Nextdoor app subscriber Cindy Berg, of Laguna Beach, says she previously patronized another groomer, but now uses Coast and appreciates how quickly its staff completes a bath and cut. Madrid charges between $55 and $65 for the service, and many customers tip as well.
After seven years with a mobile grooming company, Madrid struck out on her own and began renting space within Coast Pet Supply. Less than two years later, in 2013, she and her then boyfriend and now husband, photographer Keith Mulligan, bought the 13-year-old business. “I had to learn everything; accounting, bookkeeping, management, but I love it,” she said.
She keeps current on pet food products, and sometimes makes diet recommendations for her customer’s pets. “We’ve changed a lot of lives by providing the correct food,” she said.
Before opening her shop each morning, Madrid, 36, goes to the gym. On weekends, when not at work or at the Laguna Hills roller derby, she and her husband, a BMX athlete, can be found mountain biking or snowboarding.
“What keeps me going are the people. I love coming to work,” Madrid says.
It seems the pets love her, too. When their grooming is complete, the dogs roam freely in her little shop, but not for long as she informs owners exactly when they should return. “We get them in and out,” she says. “It’s less chaotic that way.” Customers appreciate that approach and have remained loyal despite this summer’s hiccup.
With some schedule juggling and a few extra hours logged, Coast is carrying on just fine. Madrid says she’ll hire when she finds the right person because “it matters to my clients.”
Correction: In an article titled Keep Calm and Groom On in the Aug. 7 edition the prices for dog grooming were mistakenly reported. Baths start at $35, haircuts start at $55. Full grooming can range upwards to $200 depending on the size and breed of the dog and the condition of their coat.
