When their workplace was scheduled to close at the end of February, a group of coworkers didn't let that get them down. Instead, the groomers at the former Petco store in Jefferson City rallied around one another, creating a new place in which to continue their business.
Jefferson City resident Erin Geiser saw the store closing as an opportunity instead of a roadblock. The former salon manager had always wanted to open her own grooming salon, but never saw it as a good decision. "I thought, "this is my chance,'" Geiser said.
When the dream became a real possibility, Geiser asked the other grooming salon employees if they would be willing to come with her once Petco closed its doors. After a few months of planning, getting finances in order, and constructing a storefront to match their needs, Geiser and her three employees - Ramona Adcox, Brad Romine and Elizabeth Durbin - opened Friends Furever Pet Grooming at 510 Ellis Blvd.
"I was ecstatic to do this, not only for myself, but for these guys as well," the new owner said.
The new business owner said she gained a lot of experience during her 10 years at Petco, and thanked them for the opportunities afforded her. She was able to gain experience as a manager on the retail floor, and then moved into the salon gaining more experience there.
Friends Furever is a full service pet grooming salon, offering full service bath, grooming and salon packages. They also offer shedding treatments and have a self-service bath station for clients looking to bathe their own pets. "We're offering basically everything we could before," Geiser said.
However, because they are a locally-owned business, Adcox said she's excited they'll be able to keep up with more training, and continue their education and expand the services they could offer. Another thing the employees are looking forward to is being involved in community events. They've already partnered with Puppies for Parol and a local animal shelter.
Friends Furever opened officially in mid-June, and Geiser said she and her employees were happy to be back.
"We've missed you," she said of the customers. The team at Friends Furever also missed working with each other, and missed working with the dogs on a regular basis. About 80 percent of their existing business comes from former clients they served at Petco, and Geiser said its been great to see the dogs and cats again.
"We're just happy to be back!" Geiser said.
The salon is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can be found online at friendsfurever-jc.com or on Facebook.