A DENTON dog grooming salon that only opened its doors in May is already in the running for a prestigious national award.
Pups & Dreams Spa & Academy, on Manchester Road, has been shortlisted in the Best New Business category at the UK Small Business Awards 2025.
It’s a remarkable achievement for co-founders Emily Clewlow and Megan Montgomery, who only met less than four years ago.
Both women came to dog grooming from very different paths. Emily had left her job as a primary school teacher to pursue her dream, while Megan admits she never quite knew what she wanted to do until she first picked up a pair of grooming scissors.
Their journeys weren’t without setbacks. Emily was forced to sell her home – and the salon she had just renovated – following a relationship split. Megan moved through several salons with little stability before opening her own doggy daycare in Denton.
That venture ended abruptly after personal challenges, but it was there the pair first crossed paths. Instead of giving up, they decided to join forces.
Together they opened Pups & Dreams Spa & Academy in May this year, creating a salon designed to feel more like a spa than a traditional groomers.
Alongside pampering pets, they also run courses to train the next generation of groomers – with classes already fully booked for October and November.
The journey hasn’t been smooth. They faced tradesman delays, and just a week after opening, a trademark dispute over a name change. Despite this, the salon has racked up over 100 five-star reviews on Google in just four months.
“Dog grooming is not just our job, it’s our purpose and our ‘why’,” Emily and Megan said. “Being shortlisted for this award means the world to us.”
The winners of the UK Small Business Awards will be announced later this year.