NEW WATERFORD, Ohio (WKBN) — An East Palestine business left downtown for a larger, more accessible location and had a grand opening in New Waterford on Sunday.
Anna Hostetler opened Gabby & Gerti’s Soapy Paws in East Palestine in November 2022. She says its grand re-opening in its new location is already bringing in new customers.
“It’s more relaxed, and I think people feel more comfortable coming here than on the main street in town,” Hostetler said.
Although the grooming shop opened about three months before the East Palestine train derailment, he said it hasn’t had an impact on his business.
“Our business has not even been affected because everyone has pets and they are still taking care of them. So, that’s not the reason why we moved,” she said.
Hostetler said their landlord in East Palestine is selling the building where the business operates. So, he knew he had to move.
He found the new location on State Route 14 and began renovating the space in April.
“There was a lot of work in the place because it was an old fireplace store,” he said.
He began operating from the new location in May while the building was still being renovated, and this week he opened the storefront.
Hostetler said the new location is nearly triple the size of the previous space.
Gabby & Gerti’s does full grooming on dogs, cars, rabbits and guinea pigs and nails for reptiles and some small animals.