Kaneland grad opens dog grooming/training shops in Batavia, Geneva
Eric Wilson hopes that when dog owners step into his business along the Randall Road corridor they feel at ease - as if they've stepped into a tropical paradise - and that in turn, their dogs will feel relaxed too.
Wilson owns Woof Beach, a dog grooming and training business which has a location in Batavia along the Randall Road corridor, a new, second location in downtown Geneva, and a soon-to-be third location along the Randall Road corridor in South Elgin.
When customers step inside, they're greeted by the smell of suntan lotion, the sound of steels drums and Caribbean music, and bright, light sunshiny colors.
When Wilson and his wife Christina opened the business in 2012 they wanted it to be unlike other dog grooming and training facilities.
"We wanted to create a place or an environment that was less than the norm," he said. "Most people go into a dog place, and it's a typical dog place. Not ours. Here you smell pina coladas or suntan lotion. I can have 40 or 50 dogs in here, and people can't tell there is one.
"To me, some of my best moments and more easygoing moments are in a beach-type atmosphere. Dogs in general always have this mental connection with their owners. When an owner thinks, 'Oh I have to take my dog to the groomer,' they can start getting stressed out and what then ends up happening is the dog is stressed. When they walk in here with the music and the saltwater feel, their mentality is more relaxed, and with a more relaxed owner comes a more relaxed dog, and it makes the whole scenario much more relaxed."
The duo owned similar businesses in Southern Illinois, but when their first child was born, they decided they wanted to be closer to family, and headed to the Chicago area, moving to Elburn. Eric Wilson is originally from the area and attended Kaneland High School.
When they scouted out spots for their new business, they looked in Naperville and Batavia, and settled upon the spot at 1840 Mill St. in Batavia.
They came up with the name because it combined two of their favorite things - the beach and dogs. Whether it was the Jersey shore - which the couple frequented when they met in New Jersey when he worked as a dog trainer and she worked as a dog groomer, or the Riviera Maya, the beach has always been a special place for them.
And now Woof Beach is proving to be a special place for their customers and their pets. It's become so popular that they opened their second spot in Geneva at 716 W. State St.
The third location will be near the Culver's and Goodwill in South Elgin. Wilson said he expects it to open in June.
At all spots, you'll find grooming and training services, as well as some products for sale, such as bones, toys, vitamins, shampoo and more.
In addition to their grooming and training services, the Batavia location also has a 24-hour self-serve doggy wash.
The details of the third location still are being worked out, Wilson said.
To find the Geneva location, which is covered with a tropical mural on the outside of the building, Wilson tells customers to head down Route 38 and look for the beach.
"When you look for the beach in Geneva, you find us," he said.
Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.