- April 18, 2024
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Store Manager Katie Grim and pet owner Tiffany Rodenborn pet Thor. Photo by Sierra Williams
Pet groomer Elena Krakhmalnikova, Store Manager Katie Grim and Store owner Tom Bruno at Cuddle Pet Grooming. Photo by Sierra Williams
Elena Krakhmalnikova pets Karen Clark's dog, Oliver. Photo by Sierra Wiliams
Karen Clark with her dog Oliver. Photo by Sierra Williams
Elena Krakhmalnikova with her daughter Alice, 5, pet Chloe, held by Store Manager Katie Grim. Chloe belongs to Connie Logan, a customer at Cuddle Pet Grooming. Photo by Sierra Williams
Flex with Flagler Humane Society volunteer Pamela Washick at the adoption event. Photo by Sierra Williams
Cuddle Pet Grooming is located in the City Market Place shopping plaza. Photo by Sierra Williams
Store Manager Katie Grim cuddles Flex, one of the dogs from the Flagler Humane Society adoption event at Cuddle Pet Grooming. Photo by Sierra Williams
Cuddle Pet Grooming has one of the only ADA-accessible self-service stations in the city, Store Manager Katie Grim said. Photo by Sierra Williams
Cuddle Pet Grooming in Palm Coast is officially open to all of the city’s furry family members.
“I wanted to open a place that included everybody that included all dogs, all types,” Store owner Tom Bruno said. “We don't turn anybody away here.”
Bruno opened Cuddle Pet Grooming for a soft opening in February, but the store had its grand opening on Saturday, March 25. They hosted a small adoption event in conjunction wit the Flagler Humane Society outside their storefront.
Cuddle Pet Grooming is open every day, with Sundays specifically set aside for appointment-only cases that need extra help or attention. It is in the City Market Place shopping plaza at 160 Cypress Point Parkway, A111, and is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bruno said their goal is to be inclusive to all, pets and people alike. He said in his experience and the experience of his friends and family, other big-box groomers are not friendly to the animals or even to the customers, or limit what types of dogs they accept.
Not at Cuddle Pet Grooming. Bruno said it is their policy to accept all breeds of dogs. Even if the dog in question is aggressive to other dogs, owners can book appointments on Sundays, Bruno said.
They off the full range of services, he said: dog washing, nail clipping and grinding, teeth brushing and more.
It isn’t just dogs that they work with, either. Bruno said the store takes cats as well; they can even take more exotic pets, too, he said, like rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets — just call ahead to check.
Cuddle Pet Grooming also accommodates its customers — the store has two ADA-accessible, self-service grooming stations at $15 for 15 minutes. They are one of the only ADA-accessible grooming stations in the city, Store Manager Katie Grim said.
Grim said the atmosphere at Cuddle Pet Grooming is very different from other grooming stores she’s worked at before. There, she said, employees had restrictions in place preventing them from connecting with animals.
“I got told multiple times you just got to push through and spend less time hanging out with the dogs,” Grim said. “And I didn’t like that.”
Grim said at Bruno’s store is completely different, prioritizing the dog’s comfort over everything else.
“We cuddle all the babies,” Grim said. “Our time may take a little longer but that's because we make sure the dog is comfortable the entire time.”
The store’s groomer Elena Krakhmalnikova recently came to Florida after escaping the war in Ukraine. She said she loves working around all the different kinds of dogs that come to Cuddle.
“It’s very interesting because you can meet .. all different pets,” she said. “And I love to work on big dogs. I love big dogs.”
Krakhmalnikova said she forms a connection with each dog she cares for — she and Grim even sing to the animals as they care for them to calm them down.
“I’m enjoying my work and it is the best place,” Krakhmalnikova said. “We want to have 10, 20, 30 dogs a day — and cats. Every pet.”
