Holyoke resident opens city’s only dog grooming facility

Dec. 9, 2020 | Danielle Eaton
daniellee@thereminder.com

Holyoke resident, Elaina Deschaine, recently opened the doors to her dog grooming facility, PaperCity Paw Spa in November.
Reminder Publishing submitted photos­­

HOLYOKE–  After months of hard work and years of experience, Holyoke resident Elaina Deschaine opened the doors to her dog-grooming business in November.

Deschaine told Reminder Publishing that she began her career in dog grooming after graduating high school. “I graduated high school and kind of wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to work with animals, [but was] too emphatic to be a vet or vet tech,” she said.

Deschaine said she was washing her dog one day when the idea to go to grooming school came to her. “I went to school and became certified and here I am,” she said. Deschaine said she worked for a couple different grooming businesses while refining her skills and learning the ropes.

“I definitely learned a lot working at Green Groomers with the good ways. I just learned what to do and what not to do working at these places. I’m thankful for that,” said Deschaine. She said while she had great experiences at her grooming jobs and learned a lot, she wanted to run things a little differently.

“Everywhere I worked, I just wanted to do things a little differently, a little better, really just to be able to do things my way,” she said.

When the coronavirus hit the area, she said she took a step back from work. Soon, a building became vacant right next door to her home. Deschaine explained that the tenant of the building had unfortunately passed away, leaving the building vacant and available for rent.

While this was the perfect opportunity, she said owning her own grooming business was never something she planned on. “This opportunity came to me at the perfect time. It’s hard to put into words. I didn’t really have plans to open my own business at all,” she said.

It was the confidence she gained from her previous employees that gave her the courage to embark on opening her own dog grooming salon, the PaperCity Paw Spa. “I thought I could totally do this. My past employers told me how amazing I was and how great I was at grooming,” she said. “That gave me the confidence to do this.”

Initially, she said, the shop was slated to open in August. However, between the ongoing pandemic and renovations to the space, Deschaine opened the doors to her grooming shop on Nov. 2. In addition to her husband, her uncle and herself doing the renovations needed to open, she said the process took longer partly due to delayed communication with the city. “It was definitely hard, just getting in contact with people through the city. It was really difficult getting the permits you needed,” she said. “Everything seemed to take a lot longer.”

Deschaine said so far business has been booming. “It’s been amazing, I’m super booked up,” she said. And while it’s been an adjustment, she said “it’s a blessing.”

“I have a daughter, it’s juggling phone calls and messages. I’m blessed to be busy, but I’m probably going to be looking to hire another groomer,” she said. “It’s good, but challenging.”

She said one part of the grooming process that makes her stand apart from others is that she doesn’t leave dogs to dry in the kennels. “Everywhere I worked, they call people when they’re done and they sit in the crates,” she said. “I call people ahead of time. They show up when the dog is finished or only wait a couple minutes. I don’t do cage drying.”

The grooming process, she explained, includes “a bath, blueberry facial, ears, nails de-shed or hair cut,” with a few other options. She said while a lot of grooming facilities charge for each service, she gives “one flat rate” for grooming.

Deschaine said there are no breed restrictions at the PaperCity Paw Spa. “We have tubs and tables to accommodate huge dogs and tiny dogs,” she said.

When asked what her favorite breed to groom was, she said she loves working with mixed breed dogs. “I truly love working with the mystery mixed dogs that look like they are one of a kind. I have so many dog clients that look like no other dog I’ve ever seen,” she said.

Deschaine is the only grooming-specific facility in Holyoke. She said while vet offices offer some grooming services, there are no other facilities dedicated specifically to grooming within the city.

PaperCity Paw Spa is located at 1 Martin St. in Holyoke. More information can be found on the PaperCity Paw Spa Facebook page, and appointments can be made by calling 559-7916 or emailing papercitypawspa@gmail.com.

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