FLEMING ISLAND – Mary Hardin had the perfect credentials to open a Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming in 2016. 

She knew that she had a perfect location. Her background was in banking, where she helped struggling businesses. She knew Fleming Island had a huge dog-loving community. And more than anything else, she had a sincere passion for dogs. 

And yet, the corporate Woof Gang officials in Orlando remained hesitant. 

“They were focused on Jacksonville and larger cities,” Hardin said. “It was like, ‘Where’s Fleming Island?’ You had to find it on a map. I had to push them a little bit, and finally they were like, well, OK, if you really want it, we’ll approve it. But we had to push them to approve it.” 

Ten years later, Hardin’s location at 1960 East-West Pkwy, has been expanded twice. More impressively, it has become the second busiest in the Woof Gang franchise. 

You only need a copy of her finances, not a map, to find her store. 

Woof Gang is a franchise with 450 stores that are open or under development in 34 states and Canada – and all are independently owned. 

The Fleming Island store is in the Fresh Market strip center off County Road 220. It is a busy hub of activity where regulars create a steady flow of grooming, treats and nutrition needs. On a customary week, Hardin’s 15 full-time groomers clip, cut and fluff about 300 dogs a week. 

“Oh yeah, it looks like a bomb explodes (with hair) for a little while (in the ‘Spa’), and at the end of the day it’s all cleaned up, and then we start all over again,” she said. “Everyone stays busy.” 

Hardin supports several dog-themed projects. She hosts holiday gatherings for animals, and in 2024, she organized a fundraiser for a puppy that was hit by a car and needed surgery to save her right legs from amputation or euthanasia. With more than 10,000 Facebook followers, Hardin’s loyal customers donated more than $6,000 in one hour. 

That was more than enough to pay the surgeon. The leftover money was given to the Clay Humane Society to pay for other surgeries. 

“I couldn’t imagine being faced with something like financial euthanasia,” Hardin said. “It’s just not fair to the dog. Especially a fourth month-old puppy. She’s got her whole life ahead of her.” 

Hardin and her husband stumbled onto Woof Gang Bakery while they were on vacation. She instantly knew she wanted to be involved, even if it meant leaving her banking job. 

“I never thought I would leave my banking job,” she said. “I would go into struggling businesses and work with them and help them solve some of their problems. 

“Now, 10 years later, it’s been great. We employ 26 people and we’ve been doing great here. This community has been amazing. I live here. I work here. It’s been fantastic. It’s been a nice 10-year adventure here.” 

Hardin said unlike other pet megastores, when a dog is dropped off for grooming, it is assigned to a single groomer who washes, cuts, cleans, fluffs and grinds nails from start to finish to minimize the stress on the pet. The average time a dog is at Woof Gang is between an hour to 90 minutes, which means it doesn’t spend hours waiting nervously in a cage. 

“Other places, you might see 25 dogs barking in a cage,” she said. “They do dogs in an assembly line. They wash them. Another dries them. Then they cut them. Then they do their nails. Small dogs might be there for four or five hours. That’s very stressful for the dogs.” 

It’s also common for regulars to set Spa appointments as much as three months in advance for their personal groomer, Hardin said. 

Besides pacifying hundreds of local canines, Hardin said another benefit of Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming is keeping local dollars within Clay County. 

“When people have their dogs groomed here, or buy your treats or your dog food, the money stays here versus spending your money online,” she said. “I live here, and I spend my money in our community, too. I believe in shopping local.” 

Even if you can’t find the local city on a map.