Pawsh Dog Boutique is keeping the sincerity of local business alive by caring for all of their customers — whether they have feet or paws. 

The boutique, situated in Back Bay, was opened by couple Mike and Nancy Maida in 2008. At the time, Mike Maida worked as a veterinary technician before he realized he wanted to work with animals in a different setting. Nancy Maida worked in public relations before the pair decided to open Pawsh. 

After adopting their Boston terrier, Balki, they said they saw a lack of pet services in Boston and sought to use their combined skills to fill that space.

“As far as a dog background, it really was just like having a dog, growing up, just loving them and having one myself as an adult as well,” Nancy Maida said. 

Pawsh initially opened only in the downstairs section of their Gloucester Street building but expanded to the top floor when the shop above closed in early 2009. The new space allowed the couple to add grooming to their list of offerings and grow their team along the way.

“My husband and I aren’t groomers, so we had to meet groomers and put a lot of faith in them … We’ve had different groomers through the years, but we’ve always been so lucky with having really awesome groomers,” Nancy Maida said. 

Magdalena Quintongan, one of the store’s groomers, has been at Pawsh for more than three years. She said she prides herself on her technique and ability to provide a safe grooming environment. 

“Getting the haircut done efficiently and safely is really listening to the dog and understanding their anatomy. Some dogs just don’t like the way you’re touching them, so you’re gonna have to figure out something else,” Quinotongan said. 

Quinotongan said she enjoys grooming and has been in the business for over ten years. She initially came across the profession through volunteer work at a PetSmart shelter in Cambridge, where she was given the opportunity to train as a groomer. 

“I just can’t really picture myself doing anything else, and I’ve just liked doing this since I started,” she said. “It was like a happy accident.” 

Unlike places where Quinotongan previously worked, her job at Pawsh is solely to groom, not to bathe or check in on furry clients. 

“It allows me to really focus on the haircut, because we use sharp objects, so it’s really important that I’m able to focus on one thing at … a time,” Quintongan said. 

The staff consists of four groomers, including Quintongan, three bathers and two retail workers, along with Mike and Nancy Maida. 

Julia Bangerter worked in retail at Pawsh for two years before becoming a bather. She has since completed her grooming education at the Cleveland Grooming Academy and came back to Pawsh to work as a groomer. 

“I am very lucky that we have really, really experienced groomers here that are able to help me when I have questions and are always really supportive,” Bangerter said. 

Bangerter has been at Pawsh for a total of four and a half years and said she does not plan to leave anytime soon. 

“I really, really like working for a smaller business. I love all my co-workers. I’m really attached [to] a lot of the clients [and] a lot of the dogs,” Bangerter said. 

When Bangerter worked on the retail side, one of her favorite parts was seeing the regular dogs come in for complimentary treats. 

“We’re on a couple routes for some dogs that come in every day and get their treat. Obviously, it’s a familiar face with the owner and the dogs coming in, and that’s always fun,” Bangerter said. 

The store has many returning customers, including Keeley Sheffield, who lives in the unit above the store with her dog, Olive. 

“You can tell that it’s a small family-owned business just by the way that they do business. They take care of us so well,” Sheffield said. 

“From day one, they were so excited to meet Olive. They kind of took her under their wing, and we created lifelong friendships with all of the girls that work there … I say now that Mike and Nancy are Olive’s grandparents and the people that work there are all of her aunts.” 

As a small business, Pawsh makes sure every one of their clients — dogs and owners alike — feels special during their time at the boutique. 

“They treat all of their clients like family and that’s why they have so many clients that come back,” Sheffield said.