04/04/2025
🐶❤ Time to Paws ❤🐶
After a lot of reflection over the past few months, and with a lease renewal due next month, I’ve made the difficult decision to close our 1D high street salon.
As challenging as this has been, just like every decision I’ve made during our time in business, I’ve had to take a step back and try to remove the emotion from this choice. While I’ve reduced my grooming time over the past few years to balance other interests, I cannot remember the last time I didn’t consistently work 6 or 7 days a week. The physical impact of dog grooming has still been building - despite the change in hours and removing services such as hand stripping.
Blood, sweat, and tears have definitely been poured into Millie’s over the years. Although I feel we finally settled into a good rhythm, balancing some tricky financials post covid, a proposed 35% increase in rent next month has naturally forced me to re-evaluate my own "why" for continuing in our current form.
While no number of reasons can make up for the impact of this decision on our amazing customers, I want you to know that this has been anything but easy. Every furiend I’ve personally groomed during this decision-making process has made me want to continue on.
Every single wag of the tail and slobbery kiss has made it all worthwhile, and I cannot express how much those connections have meant to me. Whether through a simple chat in the shop or your trust in me with your furry friend, you’ve all played an invaluable role in this journey, and I feel incredibly grateful for it.
But for now, I need to take some time to recharge, reflect, and decide whether to plan next steps. Time to 'paws'.
Millie has been doing amazingly on her steroids, so I want to also ensure I dedicate time to her and hopefully create a summer filled with new adventures (with Hope too). I’m looking forward to some extra time in Harley as well—embracing a slower pace of life for a little while.
In terms of what, where, and when:
Last Grooms - My last grooming appointments will be on Saturday, 10th May.
Unfortunately, I will have to cancel any appointments after this date, and I am currently unable to book any new appointments leading up to and including our last day. I completely understand if you prefer to seek a new groomer for your next appointment now rather than waiting. Please just let me know if you need to cancel so I can offer the slot to someone else who might need it.
Honesty Shop - To assist with our closing process, I’ll be holding a final sale on Saturday, 18th April, featuring select products. Keep an eye on social media for details. Any remaining items will be donated to a local food bank to help furry friends in our community.
Harley - all hires will go ahead as normal, though collection place will be changed from 18th may onwards. Note there are very limited dates for this spring and summer.
Michelle (Doxies) and Craig (Dalhousie) have begun communicating with their customers and have plans well underway. Please reach out to them with any questions regarding ongoing appointments.
Thank you so very much, and my sincerest apologies in advance if it takes us a few days to work through appointments and messages while also managing a full grooming diary.
I suspect there will be many tears on our side over the next few weeks, but hopefully also lots of laughter and reflection on the amazing memories we’ve created together.
With love,
Vicky (and Millie and Hope too) xx
