Ground Floor: Real estate investment went to the dogs

CEDAR RAPIDS — When Kathy and Bruce Weisbein purchased a vacant building on Sixth Street SW in Cedar Rapids last summer, their original intent was to find a suitable commercial tenant for the space.

'We were hoping for a hair salon or maybe an attorney's office,' Kathy Weisbein said. 'We wanted something that would be a good fit for the neighborhood, a business that could be used by residents.'

But when their ideal tenant never materialized, Kathy decided to open a business of her own.

'I didn't want to just take rent money for something that wouldn't benefit the neighborhood,' she said.

Weisbein created My Clean Dog, which provides grooming services for dogs 40 pounds and under, because she thought her neighbors would appreciate having a dog grooming business nearby.

'The national average is 35 to 45 percent of homes have at least one dog,' she noted. 'I have small breed dogs and am well aware of how often they need to be groomed. Most small breeds need a cut every six to eight weeks.'

My Clean Dog opened Oct. 28 and as Weisbein predicted, the business has been well-received by neighboring residents.

'Lots of people in the area have companion dogs that are their babies,' she said. 'They are excited they no longer have to drive to the other side of town to get their dogs groomed.'

Weisbein performs the administrative and marketing functions for My Clean Dog, but does not groom dogs. She said her biggest challenge has been finding qualified dog groomers.

Weisbein requires groomers to have completed a dog grooming training program or have the equivalent on-the-job experience.

'Dog grooming is definitely an art,' she explained. 'It is a specialized field and training is important.'

Weisbein employs a dog groomer, is actively seeking a second, and has space eventually to expand to five groomers. She also employs a receptionist.

Weisbein makes heavy use of social media to market My Clean Dog. One strategy involves taking photos of the furry customers after they are groomed and posting the images to My Clean Dog's Facebook page.

'Facebook is definitely a huge marketing tool,' she said. 'The photos of the dogs get lots of likes and shares, and it's amazing how quickly the word spreads to our customers' family and friends.'

Weisbein also offers online scheduling for appointments.

At a Glance  

• Owner: Kathy and Bruce Weisbein
• Business: My Clean Dog
• Address: 2030 Sixth St. SW, Cedar Rapids
• Email: mycleandog@gmail.com
• Phone: (319) 804-2689
• Website:

  www.mycleandog.blogspot.com

• Know a company or manager who has been in business for less than a year that would be ideal for 'Ground Floor'? Contact George Ford at george.ford@thegazette.com.