NARROWSBURG, NY — The wags, suds, and fur were all flying as Sammy tested the waters at Narrowsburg’s new pet wash.

“It’s such a dog town with so many dog people,” Kat Andrews, who owns the newly opened wash, told the River Reporter. 

There’s no reason to dirty your bathroom and clog your drain when you have a pet wash nearby. It’s conveniently located behind the Narrowsburg Car Wash on 96 Kirk Road. 

It costs $12 for a 12-minute session with full service, including a choice of oat shampoo, tearless shampoo, conditioner, flea and tick repellent, pet deodorizer for any skunk run-ins, and options for vacuuming, drying and rinsing. 

Andrews said the wash was really a “selfish endeavor.” She wanted an alternative that would allow her to groom her dogs before they carried ticks back into her house after long walks and that wouldn’t stuff fur down her pipes. She was inspired by a similar wash station in her hometown in Kansas and thought, “Why not open something similar right here in Narrowsburg?”

The Narrowsburg Sink.

A mentor/mentee relationship

Tom Coacci, who owned the car wash for seven years, sold the car wash to Andrews and helped her install the pet wash on the property. The two have a mentee/mentorship relationship that first formed when Andrews tried to purchase Art Peck’s old shop in 2021. During this time, Coacci served as Andrews’ business advisor, lending expertise on construction costs and generally encouraging her “to find some way to be a part of Tusten.”

Andrews has worked with Coacci since she took over the car wash in October 2022. “He taught me how to rebuild water pumps,” Andrews said. “As things needed to be repaired, we went through it together so I could learn.”

She said she moved to Narrowsburg to be more available to her father, who has very early-onset dementia. “I think I’ve always been looking for ways to keep my brain working,” she said. “I told Tom I wanted to learn anything new I can forever because I have a real fear of that disease, and so that’s what pushed me to try something completely outside of my wheelhouse.”

Before training with Tom, Andrews had no experience. But, she said “We just had a lot of fun working together. He’s so supportive… and I just couldn’t be more grateful for the education that he’s given me.”

“Some of the things are a little complicated, but it’s not something anybody else can’t learn,” said Coacci. “So I taught her how to rebuild the pumps, do some of the electric work, and anything that breaks I know how to fix. I taught her, and she picks up really easy on it.” 

The Narrowsburg Sink will be offering free washes on Saturday, November 25,  in honor of small business Saturday from 8 a.m. to Noon. It’s open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.