Rebuilding Lucky Paws: Turning a Struggling Chain Into a Modern Grooming Brand
Pin (Gao) Farnan and Ryan Farnan acquired Lucky Paws Pet Grooming, a chain of eight dog grooming salons across Long Island, NYC, Queens, and
Westchester, in August 2025 as afull turnaround. What followed was the work.
The First Few Months: What They Walked Into
Pin and Ryan described the first few months as constant fire drills across multiple stores. Every day, stores were running out of basic supplies such as shampoos and clean towels. Sinks clogged in the middle of the day. Some locations had no hot water. Dryers stopped working mid-groom. Staff called out at the last minute without coverage. There were also instances of missing supplies and cash. Dogs were double or triple booked without adequate staff in place. More last-minute call-outs followed. Many employees showed up but spent more time on their phones than tending to the dogs. Dogs waited in cages for hours before their bath and groom.
Almost daily, they were calling customers to reschedule, moving dogs between stores, and coordinating electricians, plumbers, and IT just to keep operations going as things broke down.
They came in with the vision to turn what they described as a loosely run chain into a premium experience where dogs are properly cared for. The gap between what they inherited and what they wanted to build was significant.
They understood they couldn’t change the team or the stores over-night-the business still had to run. But they also knew this meant stripping the operation down to the bones and rebuilding it right.
The New Owners
Neither Pin nor Ryan came from pet grooming. Pin is a pharmacist who worked in corporate retail pharmacy before earning her MBA from Yale, with the goal of being an entrepreneur. Ryan holds a BS from Boston College and an MBA from Northwestern, with a background in corporate tech and partnerships.
Pin grew up on Long Island, in Bethpage, and graduated from high school there in 2009, which made the business feel locally rooted from the start.
Both are endurance runners. They are familiar with discipline and long timelines, but more importantly, they approach operations through systems how to build something that runs consistently rather than reactively.
Prior to acquiring the business, they experienced high-touch hospitality environments where consistency and detail were expected. That perspective shaped how they think about service at Lucky Paws.
They are both still working while building the business – Pin parttime and Ryan full-time – while a manager oversees day-to-day operations across stores. This was intentional: to fund the business themselves, stay in control of how it is built, and avoid outside influence on key decisions.
On various days of the week, mostly on weekends, Pin and Ryan are on site across Long Island, Queens, and NYC—seeing and staying close to how things actually run. Communication with the team is ongoing throughout the day, and outside of their jobs, most of their time is spent reviewing and improving the business.
As Ryan noted, “We don’t come from grooming, so we leaned heavily on people who’ve been doing this for decades—while bringing in our own standards and systems to make everything run right.”
Building Systems
The first focus was putting systems in place. They introduced opening and closing checklists, defined responsibilities by role, and implemented write-ups and corrective actions to establish accountability. Daily check-ins and weekly meetings set priorities for the following week.
Schedules were adjusted, backup coverage was built in, and appointment flow was reorganized.
They implemented an online booking and text messaging system to improve communication with customers. Internally, they improved coordination between front desk, bathers, and groomers.
At the same time, they made physical changes—clearing clutter, improving lighting, and modernizing layouts to create a calm, spa-like environment.
Shampoos were replaced with the iGroom line, commonly used in show dog grooming, free of sulfates, SLS, parabens, and dyes.
They also restructured services. Instead of a low base price with multiple add-ons, they introduced more inclusive packages bundling core services like ear cleaning, nail trimming, paw & nose balm, and teeth brushing into every bath and grooming service.
A loyalty rewards program was added to provide more value to repeat customers. Clients receive 10% off when returning within two months and 15% off for monthly visits. The intent is not to reinforce a discount-driven model—the base pricing remains premium—but to reward consistency. Regular visits lead to better coat maintenance and more predictable results.
Rebuilding The Team
Simultaneously, they focused on rebuilding the team. Compensation was adjusted to be above market, with timely pay. The groomers now collectively have an average of more than 15 years of experience.
At the end of each shift, photos are taken of the dogs and reviewed to track consistency across groomers and locations. When something is off, it’s discussed and corrected. When standards aren’t met over time despite feedback and support, it has meant parting ways.
The approach is structured. Drawing from their corporate backgrounds, they introduced a clear way of assessing performance—regular feedback, defined expectations, and follow-through.
It can feel more structured than a typical grooming shop, but the goal is consistency. Customers are trusting Lucky Paws with their pet, and they should expect high-quality results each time.
To see their groomers’ work, visit luckypawsusa.com, select your nearest location, and browse each store’s online gallery.
The Team: Ozania (Syosset, New Hyde Park) · Vanessa (Fresh Meadows) · James (Huntington) · Ming (Syosset, Hun-
tington, New Hyde Park) · Andrea (Huntington, Syosset) · Marlon (Huntington, Syosset)
Steady State
Eight months in, operations are more stable, but not static. Day-to-day issues still come up, but expectations across stores are now aligned. That alignment was the biggest gap when they started.
One area of continued focus is communication with customers—especially around expectations. The team now includes groomers with advanced scissoring skills who can achieve refined, teddy bear-style finishes and breed-specific cuts for dogs such as Schnauzers,Standard Poodles, and Bedlington Terriers. At the same time, results depend on coat condition, maintenance, and the dog’s tolerance for grooming.
Running a service business means being fair, but also holding the line. Not every complaint reflects a mistake. They’ve learned that review pressure and pricing expectations are part of the industry, and that has shaped how they set boundaries.
When there is a clear service issue, they take responsibility. At the same time,they apply policies consistently to be fair to both customers and employees.
Grooming is a technical skill that takes years to develop and requires consistency, patience, and physical effort. That level of work needs to be supported and valued.
Looking Ahead
With operations now more stable,the focus is shifting to expansion. Lucky Paws has been approved for a Mercedes Sprinter Van, and is building out a modern mobile grooming experience
The goal is simple: bring that same level of service directly to customers, with the same consistency and attention to detail.
A van will be on the road soon – bringing that experience directly to your doorstep.
Luxury grooming is a term often used to describe what Lucky Paws has built.
But the word “luxury” has been used so often that it can lose its integrity. It’s easy to associate it with how something looks—the design of a space, the products on the shelf, or the price point.
At Lucky Paws, luxury is defined differently.
As Pin puts it, “we look like luxury, we use luxury products, and we hire highly experienced groomers – but real luxury is peace of mind: a consistently high-quality, predictable experience where your dog’s comfort and care are always the top priority – because you know the owners are truly obsessed with it.”
Stay in the know. Join the Lucky Paws email list at luckypawsusa.com for the latest updates, offerings, and news – and to sign up for notifications on the Mobile Grooming launch