CLEVELAND — She may be young, but she saw a need and set out to fill it.
Meet Marche Smith, owner of Fluff N Stuff, a pet services company based in Cleveland. Fluff N Stuff offers an array of services, including boarding, grooming and day care for dogs. They also have a mobile grooming van that travels to customers across the area.
Smith says her company was born from a love of animals.
"This job is not for everyone," she said. "To open a business, run a business that involves working with animals, you generally have to have a deep-rooted love for animals."
Fluff N Stuff started with Smith's mobile grooming unit, a van that can travel to pets and their owners wherever they may be - something that residents need.
"The main purpose of me getting a mobile van was because they aren't really in the inner city. I've never seen one in Greater Cleveland, ever," said Smith. "So when I started out, I was really, really nervous but it really took off, like that. From there, we opened up our South Euclid location and now we're open in Downtown Cleveland.
"There aren't any daycare or grooming facilities in the Flats so I pretty much chose this location because it's more convenient that we're right here," Smith said.
Smith has been working with animals since 2009. She attended grooming school in 2012, and she says she loves working with animals, but specifically caters to cats and dogs in her business.
Fluff N Stuff works with any breed and any size animal, offering full-service grooming. That includes bathing, brushing, trimming nails and more.
Smith says, the animals that come to Fluff N Stuff become her children.
"They're just amazing creatures," she said.
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