FOUNTAIN — From the Mayo Clinic to grooming Maltese, Tara Hershberger decided it was time for a career change and started her own dog grooming business.
Pretty Paws by Tara held its grand opening on December 9, 2023. The business held a soft opening in August, but finally held its official grand opening after the community came together to build its new building.
Hershberger worked for the Mayo Clinic for 23 years before deciding it was time for a career change. He takes his annual time off to show horses and knows it’s time to do something else.
“I asked the Lord and I was like, ‘What can I do?’ and it’s either a coffee shop or a dog grooming shop,” Hershberger said. “It just comes to me and I trim horses for shows and stuff, so that doesn’t scare me too much.”
He started by taking an online dog grooming class before going and shadowing a groomer in Harmony, Minnesota. She has four dogs to house train and really enjoys working with animals all day.
When Hershberger first started it in August, he was grooming dogs from his grain. He knew he had to find a new location as the weather cooled.
“I was like, ‘we’ve got to do something,'” Hershberger said. “My husband broke his ankle so our church came together and built it in one day. They didn’t raise the inner walls, but everything else did. It’s Saturday, and I’ll be here fixing up next Thursday.”
The typical grooming schedule varies from breed to breed. Some dog breeds, like the poodle mix, tend to be higher maintenance compared to the golden retriever. Doodle breeds are often groomed every eight weeks, where golden retrievers can only groom every three months.
Each appointment time also varies. Medium dogs can take anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours. Because of this, Hershberger created a nice waiting area for pet owners to wait and enjoy a cup of coffee.
Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin
“People can stay if they want, but most of them want to drop off their pets and leave,” Hershberger said. “Then I’ll text them when it’s done, but there are a few who are staying and so I have coffee for them.”
In addition to coffee, Hershberger wants to make sure his business is in a place people want to go. She spent a lot of time deciding how she wanted to decorate her space. She incorporated a pop of color into the area by adding a bright pink accent wall to the building and painting the doors pink as well.
“I knew I wanted it to have a boutique feel,” Hershberger said. “So, I knew I wanted white and gold and the bathroom was white, gold and black. I wanted it to be like when you walk in and it’s like a boutique. It’s not just like a dirty dog groomer, it’s really like a cool place to go.
He also wants the dogs to be super nice when they leave. He has a variety of bandanas and bows for the dogs to wear after their haircuts.
Dog groomers in the area have been really busy lately. Hershberger gets business primarily from word of mouth, Facebook and radio ads. Even though he is new to the industry, he is booked out weeks in advance with more clients coming to him every week.
Despite being busy, Hershberger enjoys being able to make her own schedules. He has children that he can now spend time with and participate in all their extracurricular events. Extra time with family is one of the big benefits of this career change.
He is very grateful for the overwhelming support the community has shown him. He would not be able to build his new building without the support of his church. For him, it’s also an opportunity to give back to his community in a special way.
“Your puppy will come in looking scraggly and they’ll leave looking good,” says Hershberger. “I love to give. I just want to help people.”
Pretty Paws by Tara
21161 County 8, Fountain, MN 55935
507-421-1487
Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin
Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin
Sara Guymon is a Post Bulletin business reporter. Guymon grew up in New Ulm, Minnesota. He graduated from New Ulm Public High School and went on to attend college at the University of Minnesota Duluth. While at UMD, Guymon graduated with a major in journalism and a double minor in photography and international studies. Before coming to the Post Bulletin, he worked as a staff writer for the Brainerd Dispatch. There he occupied the City of Baxter and business.
