Northport Biz Q&A: Olimpia's Grooming Parlor

In our new weekly feature, Patch gets out into the business community to get a feel for the pulse of small business in Northport. This week we "pawsed" to speak with Olimpia Anzalone of on Fort Salonga Road about her company’s services and the challenges of doing business in today’s economy.

1. We've had such a mild winter. Should pet owners have their dogs and cats groomed and clipped more frequently due to the warmer temperatures this year?  “All pets need a regular grooming just like people do. We groom dogs every four to six weeks. Their ears should be cleaned once a week. Fleas and ticks show up a lot more frequently when the weather is warm like this. We can stay on top of it that way. We brush teeth too; that’s very important. We see dogs that are one and two years old who have to have some of their teeth pulled.”

2. What other services do you provide besides grooming? “We offer boarding services. If the dog is small enough and well-behaved, I can board in my home. I don’t keep the dogs caged. I have one dachshund now who regularly boards with me and he’s like a member of my family. Larger dogs are boarded here in the store.

I also offer a complete line of pet food for dogs and cats. We also carry food for small animals such as parakeets, parrots, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, and guinea pigs. We also have shampoos, breath cleaners, cages, bedding, toys, cat litter and pans, feeding bowls and low fat bakery items for pets.”

3. Some pets get very nervous when they're brought in for grooming. How do you handle that? "Well, we don’t work with aggressive dogs. But if a dog is nervous, we start slowly and get to know the dog. I’ll actually get down to the dog’s level, make eye contact, talk a little baby talk and let the dog approach me first. That’s all you should do with any animal. You should let them come to you.”

4. Big companies such as PetSmart offer grooming services for a low cost at their locations. Why should someone choose Olimpia's instead? “First of all, I think you need to be fair to the customer. Charge a fair price and be reasonable. But you can’t be cheap. I use a high-quality oatmeal shampoo. I also use a vitamin E oil spray to replace the oils that are washed out with the shampoo. I check for fleas and ticks which other places charge extra for. If I see something unusual, I’ll mention it to the owner so they can get it checked out with their vet. I’ve been in the grooming business for 30 years. We’ve been at this location for 12 years. Do you want someone who’s just out of school handling your pet? We also keep pets on a schedule. Here they’re in and out in one and a half to three  hours. That's a lot less stressful for the dog or cat. At Petsmart the dogs can be there for six hours or longer. I also made the decision when I opened this business to have a separate room out front just for grooming. At Petsmart, all the dogs are done in the same room. It’s very noisy and stressful. Here bathing and drying is done in a separate room so that when I groom, I can play music and talk to the dog in a peaceful atmosphere.”

5. Everybody loves a cute or funny dog story. Do you have one? “Well, this one time we couldn’t get this Great Dane into the tub. So I had to climb up the steps first and get into the tub to show him. And he just followed me. I guess he was hoping that I would stay in there too for the bath. Ever since then, whenever he comes in, I have to get into the tub first.”

For more information, check Olimpia’s website or call (631) 262-9040.