Butt Rub & Scrub opened its doors in Carytown this week. (Images courtesy Butt Rub & Scrub)
A new dog wash business has just pawed its way into Carytown.
Butt Rub & Scrub, a new self-service dog wash, opened this week at 2820 W. Cary St.
The business, run by local resident Beth Miller, allows local customers to sign up for a membership, book an appointment, access the shop remotely through an app and wash, soap and dry their dog in a 20-minute session.
Miller said she and an unidentified co-owner see Butt Rub & Scrub as a good option for those who might have a dog in the city, but a small bathroom with little space for a proper wash.
“Most homes in the Fan area and in a lot of urban settings have small bathrooms, and it’s hard to wash your dog at home,” she said. “We just recognized the market opportunity that was there, wanted to start developing a concept for a self-serve dog wash and really focus on eliminating the hassle of having to wash the dog at home, clean up the mess at home, but also bend over a tub.”
Miller, a Richmond native, said she and her partner have been working on the concept for a few years. The company worked with app development firm Imaginovation out of Raleigh, North Carolina, last year to create the app for the business.
As for the Butt Rub name, Miller said it’s meant to be memorable, to harken back to dogs’ love of such rubs and to make customers laugh.
Located in the same building as health and Vietnamese market Sen Organic Farmers Market, Miller’s 600-square-foot space includes four wash stations, with one “VIP” suite in a private room for dogs that might be anxious. Using a “smart nozzle” machine, the dog bathing stations include water, a hypoallergenic dog wash and a dryer.
The location also has a small retail space for treats, supplements and dog toys.
Butt Rub & Scrub has three membership tiers: a $39 entry-level tier with two washes per month, a $49 tier with four washes per month and a $79 tier with eight washes per month, including four, if needed, in the VIP room.
The membership-based dog wash business is self-serve.
The business is open daily for bookings from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Miller said the business has staff on-site for the first month to ensure a smooth opening run, but said they plan to do away with having staff present by December.
“We’re not going to have staff here all the time, but knowing we were just launching, we want people here to welcome our guests and show them around and help them get familiar with the space,” she said.
Butt Rub & Scrub is currently a team of four. Miller said the team will not likely grow with the model being app-based.
And more Butt Rubs may be in store. Miller said the company is eyeing a space at North Lombardy Street and Floyd Avenue in the Fan and added that it is interested in other locations in places like the Southside.
“Pretty much wherever there is a concentration of dog owners in a more urban area, or even some suburban areas is the goal,” Miller said, adding that she also sees potential to open the business up to franchising.
Elsewhere in the local dog care industry, a local veterinarian is looking to open a new dog spa concept in Midlothian’s Winterfield Crossing, while new-to-market vet Petfolk is set to debut within Midlothian Depot shopping center in Chesterfield County.
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