Recycling the past

By Barbara Thornburg

"My job is to take care of the employees and they take care of the animals. I can do both, but I think it is important that my employees are taken care of, too," Metevier adds.In fact, the Wag 'n Tails marketing slogan is "We Speak Dog," which is not that far-fetched, Metevier says."Of course, it's not really a language. It's a sense of timing really, more of an understanding, a recognition of what is going on with. the animal. You read their facial expressions, posture, tail set and body language. Dogs do give off an energy, just as people do," Metevier says.Thrift-shop chairs and ottomans throughout the loft got a steam cleaning and, when needed, new upholstery. Kramer replaced the torn velvet and horsehair stuffing on a lovely French chair with a lively pink stripe fabric, but first she washed the fabric repeatedly -- "until it looked like someone had sat on it a hundred times," Kramer says. "I didn't touch the old gold leaf frame. It was perfect."With their restored 1918 loft and their 1946 Chevy pickup, the thrift-shop chairs they sit on and the vintage clothes they wear, fashion designer Elizabeth Kramer and real estate agent Robert Heller celebrate giving old things new life.Dennis McCormackJanice Milligan, owner of Doggy Daycare and Spa, knows what her clients need in a daycare. Before purchasing the business in 2005, Milligan was first a customer of former owner Holly Hunting-Martin, who founded the business in 2000.Nearly all the furnishings hail from flea markets or thrift shops or are alley finds, say the couple, both irrepressible collectors. Second-hand shops, prop houses, architectural salvage yards and antique malls are among their favorite haunts. And then there's Les Puces (the Fleas), Paris' largest flea market and Kramer's favorite.517-482-7799We are not a rehab center; so if a dog has social behavior issues, we are not a solution for them," Milligan adds.For the avid collectors, finding great old things is all about the hunt -- and, of course, the discovery of something wonderful at a bargain price. They're still talking about the steal they got on their 1923 M. Schulz Co. piano -- in excellent condition, just $435. A new baby grand, with all the bells and whistles, Heller guesstimates, would run $10,000 to $15,000 -- "and wouldn't have the soul."However, two mid-Michigan facilities have taken pampering pooches to the next level. Both businesses feature owners and employees who are passionate about taking care of those important family members."This is a wonderful business to be in. There are unique challenges to it. Dogs are like kids in that they are constantly learning new things and amazing you with their creativity," Metevier says. "It really does take some keen insight to understand them.""The trick is to get things clean but not lose the patina of age," the designer says.Metevier eventually opened a dog grooming business in San Diego and made a connection with Perry, who also was selling mobile grooming conversion vans.The loft is arranged as a series of live/work spaces sans walls. Kramer's sewing area and a small gym flank the front door. Tucked into one corner behind velvet-chenille drapes is the bedroom, which Kramer has filled with scads of pillows. The open-plan kitchen with a vintage General Electric stove and a nearby dining table shaped like a slice of pie serve as the loft's hub. His-and-her offices are separated by their baby grand piano in the new wing.Janice Milligan, OwnerSummer is an especially busy time at Wag 'n Tails Pet Resort. Family vacation time often. boosts capacity to close to 50, says owner Tom Metevier considering that. some families have more than one dog.A finely appointed front office greets you as you enter Wag 'n Tails Pet Resort. And really, that doesn't change much. as you proceed to the pet common areas. There are 29 individual two-room suites for dogs, with fresh water systems, individual heat and air, beds, chandeliers, televisions and large sliding doors that look onto the indoor courtyard."There is only one level of service here. We are a very small facility, very hands-on. Everyone here has a passion for it," Metevier says. The company's 17 employees and manager Jessica McNally are "the best in the business," Metevier claims."Nothing is ever written in stone. Every organization can be compared to a living creature. You have to be willing to make changes at times for the clients and where the business is going in the future," Milligan says. "However, there are things we never take shortcuts on, and that's the safety of our clients and our employees."Metevier, a groomer by trade, purchased Wag 'n Tails in 2004 from founder Dina Perry. He was born and raised in San Diego, but had family near Bay City and Saginaw whom he'd visit in the summer.

"I'm a firm believer that you don't need to spend a lot of money on things," he says. "Especially in today's economy, it's nice to recycle. We've always done it, but now more than ever, it makes total sense."

Author: Barbara Thornburg