Pawsh Wash and Pet Health Market is closing this weekend, its owners announced Friday.
The final day the Lawrence dog grooming business and pet store will be open is Saturday, Dec. 28. Co-owner Amber Nickel said “precious” is the best word to describe 19 years of Pawsh Wash.
“We’ve been with people when their elderly dogs have come in for the last time,” Nickel said. “And we’ve been joyful with people when they get their first puppy. And we’ve seen love connections of people that had a rescue or a foster dog that they were hoping to find a home for. And we’ve made those connections with people that needed a dog.”
Nickel and her sister Nicki Spurling own Pawsh Wash, 1520 Wakarusa Drive, Suite C. Higher business costs and lower sales had made balancing their personal lives more difficult recently, Nickel said.
They held on and hoped this holiday season would propel them forward, but as this month neared an end, they decided continuing wasn’t sustainable.
“It’s been our passion and dream for a really long time, and it just has gotten to a place where we are older, and in order to run a business where you are caring for live animals and you have a lot of people on staff, you have to prioritize it over everything else in your life,” Nickel said. “We are in a place in our lives where we have a lot of responsibilities, and it’s really hard to do it all, so we’re sad to close the doors.”
In addition to grooming dogs and selling pet supplies, the store also offers self-use stations daily for owners to wash their dogs. Nickel said she recognizes its absence leaves a hole. But many of the smaller local pet grooming businesses sprouted from Pawsh Wash, she said.
“I just can’t thank this community enough for shopping local and supporting local businesses,” Nickel said.
Clients throughout the day Friday were celebrating memories with owners and staff. Nickel said some regulars brought in muffins to enjoy while they took selfies and reminisced.
Over the years, more than 100 employees have worked at Pawsh Wash, Nickel said, and many of them reached out Friday. A Facebook post announcing the closure has garnered lots of appreciative messages. Nickel said she hopes in the future to “pass the torch” to a new owner who could reinvent the business.
Pawsh Wash will be open for the final time from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Its nail trimming service and self-washing stations are available, and products are on sale.
Some staff members plan to do independent grooming services moving forward, according to Nickel. She said she encourages interested clients or customers to come by Saturday for their contact information.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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