Fancy Fur
Sisters Christine Sato (left) and Mary Woolbright attribute the success of Fancy Fur, their pet spa and boutique business, to their different strengths.
Is your pet tired, cranky and overwhelmed with the constant grind of eating, napping, and making the rounds of the neighbors’ mailbox posts? If so, a spa day at Fancy Fur Pet Grooming & Boutique could be just the cure for your best friend’s blues.
Founded by sisters Christine Sato and Mary Woolbright in 2008, Fancy Fur provides a place for pets to be pampered, doted on, and lovingly cared for as if they were at home.
In addition to hiring a fantastic staff – all quality people who love animals – the sibling co-owners attribute much of their success to their different strengths.
“Mary loves animals and has a gift for handling all kinds of breeds with different personalities,” said Sato. “I’m more familiar with the business side of things. I’m not a groomer, but I wear many other hats, and here we are, 18 years later.”
Two years ago, Fancy Fur moved from a small space on Valleydale Road to spacious new quarters at Inverness Corners, and its boutique side was expanded to include specialty pet foods, wellness products, and a curated selection of pet-related boutique items.
“In the previous store, we had maybe 300 square feet for knick-knacks, a bit of food and treats, and some wellness things,” Sato said. “But I wanted – and Mary agreed – to be more of a one-stop shop in this area. So, we now have 1,500 square feet for the store and about the same amount of space for the rest of our services.”
For the convenience of owners and the comfort of dogs, Fancy Fur also installed a do-it-yourself dog washing station.
Fancy Fur
Fancy Fur’s do-it-yourself dog washing station includes a push-button tub, shampoo, hair dryer, towels and smocks, and they clean up the mess!
“It has a push-button tub, and everything is included from shampoo to a hair dryer,” said Sato. “All you need to bring is your pet. We provide towels and smocks so that you don’t take a bath, too, and we clean up the mess.”
Not only does Fancy Fur attract plenty of local business, but customers also come from other cities, as near as Cullman, and as far away as Mobile to have their pets groomed. One canine client even comes from Atlanta.
“The owners often come to Birmingham, so they schedule grooming at the same time,” said Sato. “They don’t have to leave the dog at home, so it works out great.”
In addition to full grooms by appointment, Fancy Fur offers walk-in services for nail trimming, face trimming, ear cleaning and anal gland expressing. For more information, call (205) 408-1693 or visit fancyfurpets.com.