The namesake behind Bam! Dogwash & Pet Boutique, a middle-aged Boston Terrier named Bamboo, saunters from behind the counter to greet customers before quickly returning to bask under her private heat lamp. Bamboo accompanies her owner, Alexandra Newman, everywhere and is a staple at the St. Clair West dog wash and pet boutique.
Alexandra opened Bam! in early December 2014 to offer pet merchandise and a self-serve washing service after her father (and business partner) saw how popular his self-serve dog wash station had become at his car wash business.
Bam! offers three custom-sized washing bays with shampoos available for itchy skin, skunk emergencies, hot-spot relief, white fur dogs and dark fur dogs. Each self-serve station also comes with towels and blow dryers for easy clean up. “People pay much less for self-serve than they would for a groomer,” says Alexandra. “Many people come in after a walk in the park and they don’t want to dirty their tubs at home, so they leave the mess here.”
