Gerwitz Grooming Opens in Salamanca to Serve Local Pet Owners

Local

Apr 29

Tails are wagging with excitement after the recent announcement of the opening of Gerwitz Grooming in January! Owned and operated by Hannah Gerwitz, a protégé of the longtime late great Ellicottville groomer, Teresa Wagner of Rover Makeovers, Gerwitz stepped out on her own to fulfill the community need for pet grooming services following Wagner’s passing last year. EllicottvilleNOW caught up with Hannah to discuss what the future has in store for Gerwitz Grooming after the business’s recent move to its new location in Salamanca.

“I made it official on January 29th,” said Gerwitz during a recent phone interview. “I offer haircuts, baths, nail trimmings… I clean dogs’ ears, clip cats’ nails,” she said. Although Hannah does not offer cat shaving at the moment, it is something she is hoping to offer in the future, but what she does offer is just about everything a pet owner could want for their cat or dog’s grooming needs.

Pet owners will also rejoice in the fact that she works with all breeds. Hannah explained that she has experience with just about all of them, including rescues and animals that have suffered at the hands of humans. “Short hair, long hair, small breeds… I’ve [also] done the biggest breeds out there - Mastiffs and St. Bernards - all of those,” she said. Hannah’s expertise comes from years of experience. “A lot of it is self-taught and I learned a lot of what I know from Teresa Wagner.”

Hannah says sessions can range anywhere from one to three hours. “It really depends on the temperament of the dog. Usually, for smaller ones, it would take about an hour; large breed dogs can take me anywhere from an hour-and-a-half to three hours, depending on the condition of the dog,” she explained.

Poodles and doodles, retrievers, and more are all part of her clientele roster. “Mini poodles are about an hour; standard poodles - it depends on the haircut type that the customer is looking for - but anywhere from one hour to two,” she continued. Golden Retrievers require a similar time commitment, but Gerwitz said that depending on temperament, those sessions usually take about an hour-and-a-half, with the same being for Huskies. “I do Newfoundlands, and those take me about two hours apiece.”

Having apprenticed for over ten years under the tutelage of Ellicottville native Teresa Wagner of Rover Makeovers, Hannah learned the necessary skills needed to launch her own business. Following Teresa’s passing in March of last year, Hannah realized that there was a critical need for pet grooming in the area. An Ellicottville native herself, Gerwitz set out to fulfill that need by carrying on Teresa’s legacy.

“Honestly, it’s a dream. I never thought I would be here or be able to be here, but life kind of switched things up,” she said. “After Teresa passed and there wasn’t another groomer, I felt that it was my time to take the plunge and get it going under my own name to keep her legacy going and make it my own.”

As for the future, Hannah says a website and Facebook page are in the works, and she is also considering making house calls. “Another thing I want to look at in the future is going to people’s houses. I’ve had quite a few elderly clients who don’t have a driver - just trying to make it easier for everybody, really,” she said.

Gerwitz Grooming is located at 23 Herman Street in Salamanca. Posted hours are 10:00am-2:00pm Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am-3:00pm on Saturdays. All services are rendered by appointment only, with the exception of nail trims, which Gerwitz says are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Prices range by dog size and temperament, with small breeds running about $55-$65 and medium and large breeds ranging anywhere from $70 to $130 (for Newfoundlands and similar large breeds). Appointments can be made by reaching out to Hannah directly on Facebook or by calling or texting her at 716-200-6668.