07/30/2026
Hello to all our Fur Baby Families!! This is probably the hardest post I’ve had to make this year since taking over The Wizard of Paws business and opening our doors on January 6, 2026.
As everyone is aware, prices are up everywhere you go. The last price increase that The Wizard of Paws implemented was in MAY 2023! Liz resisted a price increase year after year and just absorbed the losses on credit card fees. As the new owner, I also did not want to implement a price increase right out of the gate until I had a grasp on expenses and overhead costs.
We employ:
5 Groomers
3 Bathers
1 Receptionist
1 Groundskeeper
That’s 10 people that I have on payroll that I must pay every week. 10 people earning a livelihood, feeding their families, paying the bills. I didn’t even pay myself until just a couple of weeks ago, and it’s extremely minimal but I know that that’s what new businesses do. It’s very much been a labor of love and a sacrifice I am willing to make. And I would do it all again in a heartbeat!
We renovated a 1958 square-foot house to hold all of the equipment and supplies needed to blow the doors off the dog grooming services in Tuscaloosa and Northport. That’s one of the biggest things we are told is how absolutely beautiful and serene our facilities and grounds are. That came at a high price but well worth every penny! And we have a lot of exciting new things that we want to bring forth in our 2nd phase of our development!! Stay tuned…
The cost of living from May 2023 until July 2026 has gone up (as best I can figure, with the Internet’s help 😂🤣), just over 11% since May 2023. I am still NOT charging for credit card fees either. I hate that as well when I have to pay a credit card fee just to use a piece of plastic that has become a necessary evil in life! I do not want my customers to have to pay that additional fee either. But the cost of buying the amazing shampoos and conditioners that makes your babies look, feel, & smell wonderful is not getting any cheaper. Neither is the shipping costs. Neither is any of the cost of new equipment and other supplies we must purchase to have on a daily basis just to run the business. (It’s amazing how much toilet paper and paper towels 10 folks can use!!😱😝😆😂🤣♥️♥️)
But seriously, I hope everyone who comes into The Wizard Of Paws sees what we’re trying to achieve and accomplish. I can promise you, as any small business can, I want to make sure my employees AND our clients are taken care of. I’m willing to make the sacrifices needed as we have been doing. But I also have to make sure that I will be here to serve your babies for a long, LONG time to come!
We are frugal and good stewards of our resources and monies. We want to ensure we give you the very best service for your pups. But I will regretfully have to implement a cost-of-living increase just to get us up to today’s increased cost of goods and services. Every small business struggles with this very thing. I certainly do not want to lose not one single customer. But I know there may be those that feel like $3 or $10 more on their groom may be too much. There’s only so many ways you can squeeze already tight budgets. We truly understand that.
That’s why we have always been so proactive in educating our pet parents on ways that we can extend the length of time between their grooms. We try to show you ways to brush out, demat and detangle your babies. A tangled or matted coat can cause all kind of health issues for your pup’s skin. That’s why it’s so important to care for your baby’s coat and let us help you do that. And whether it’s our service or any other groomer in town, the cost of products and supplies are doing nothing but going up. And we still boast some of the lower prices with all-inclusive packages when compared to other grooming services. We get told this quite often. We want to continue giving your babies the best cut possible, and also all the love they can handle! And we want to continue spritzing them with the colognes and putting the bows in their hair or the bandannas around their necks! They deserve “their spa day,“ and we want to give it to them!
We have been extremely blessed beyond measure. Again, this is a journey I would make over and over, day after day. I truly believe that the Lord has opened up so many doors for us to make this even possible. And I think He knows exactly what He’s doing in putting us in the right place at the right time to serve your cuddle bugs and their needs!
So, with all this being said, our plan is to begin the new price list starting August 6, 2026. Again, there is never a good time to raise prices, but I hope you will see that we are raising the bar in quality services for YOUR FUR BABY! Thank you for allowing us to serve you and your babies through all the years that Liz owned the business, and hopefully all the years I can continue the legacy of what she started!♥️🐾♥️
-Mary T. Long
The Wizard of Paws Family
