Local groomer has heart for pets

WAUCONDA – Lisa Lucchetti has known hardships in her life.

But she has dealt with them in the best way she knows how – by continuing to share her love.

The 46-year-old runs Groomingdales – a professional pet grooming service located at 318 W. Liberty St., in her home town of Wauconda – because she absolutely loves animals.

Lucchetti wanted to be a veterinarian as a child, but had four children of her own by the age of 25. Instead of giving up on her dream, she merely modified it.

Her step-mother owned a pet grooming service in Lake County for 10 years, and Lucchetti took over the business, growing and running it successfully for five more years.

Then, family life became a bit difficult.

Lucchetti’s son was involved in several robberies in the very town she worked in, and she couldn’t bear to have people lose trust in her family business.

"I was so humbled by what he did, [I went] out of business for a few months," Lucchetti said.
Then, on April 2 – six years ago this year – her son took his own life.

It was a tough time for Lucchetti and her family, but Lucchetti realized the only way she would be able to heal was to go back to something she could put her heart and soul into – taking care of animals.

“I had to go back to it,” Lucchetti said. “I walked away from an empire, and I came back to my home town and started over.”

It wasn’t easy. Groomingdales is considerably smaller than her previous business, Lucchetti said. But many customers have followed her to her new location because of her work with their animals.

Terry Biesterfeld of Mundelein has been taking his three dogs to Lucchetti for the past 10 years because he finds they are so comfortable with her, he said.

“We like the work she does,” Biesterfeld said. “The dogs are comfortable. She lets them roam, they’re not tied up in cages... my dogs love it. You can almost tell by the way the dogs react, they don’t have a propblem with her. That’s probably the most important thing.”

Sometimes owners aren’t comfortable leaving their pets at a groomers alone. That’s OK at Groomingdales. Pet owners are welcome to stay and watch Lucchetti as she goes to work, or they can take advantage of her self-wash tub service and clean up their animals themselves.

Brenda Niskanen said she would drive 100 miles to bring her three dogs to Lucchetti’s business. And that’s nearly the case. Niskanen lives in Beach Park – it’s a 45-minute drive to Groomingdales on a good day, she said. But two of her three dogs were abused in the past, and she appreciates the fact Lucchetti lets her stand by as her dogs are being handled.

“There’s not many groomers that can handle dogs who have been abused,” Niskanen said. “She’s like the dog whisperer. She’s just got the knack, and I am so grateful that I found her.”

Lucchetti also has reached out to sectors of the community that other groomers tend to ignore. On Tuesday, Feb. 9, she will visit the Liberty Arms Senior Apartments in Wauconda to clip toenails for the seniors pets.

She frequently invites school groups, Girl Scout troops and other organizations to visit her shop and learn about proper animal care.

She just likes to share the love, she said. And her customers appreciate that.

“Dogs are like kids,” Biesterfeld said. “I have three kids also, but the [dogs] are just like part of the family. When you find someone who’s treating them fine, you stick with them.”

"I told her she can't retire," Niskanen said. "I know that's selfish, but I'm looking out for my dogs."
 And I told her if she moves, I'll have to schedule my vacations so I can go."

Luckily for Niskanen, Lucchetti said she’s in the business for life.

“I will do this until my hands don’t work any more,” she said with a smile. “God put me on the earth for the animals.”