Stephanie Bell has been grooming dogs since 2000. For her first job, she helped out a fellow groomer, and she continued to work for other people after that.

But she was always looking for something else.

"It was always a dream of mine to have my own shop," Bell said.

So Bell finally opened one. She did that in October, and has been adding clients ever since at her place, Uptown Dog Pet Salon.

Bell's roots were in New York City. She was doing grooming there on 2nd Avenue, a place she described as somewhat ritzy.

After that, she ended up going to Temple University for her undergraduate degree.

"I never left," she said.

She now lives in Germantown, but considers Mt. Airy her home base—she goes to FitLife and frequents McMenamin's.

She "stalked the area for a while," as she puts it.

Bell then finally found the former Artista space at 7151 Germantown Ave. To her, it was perfect.

"I just love how it's just a nice open space," she said. "I love the windows and how the sunlight just shines in. It's kind of my favorite."

Right now, she's taking classes at Chestnut Hill College and is working toward her master's in education.

This is her first business, so she's still trying to get used to dealing with the paperwork involved.

But she's met a whole lot of other people who have helped her out along the way. Customers have given her tips, and other business owners along the block have been supportive as well.

She mostly gets small dogs at her business. Everyone, she said, seems to have a Yorkie.

People have been referred to her from around the neighborhood. Some of them see dogs who have been groomed on the street and ask them where they got their work done. She's gotten clients that way too.

There was one particular reason that she wanted to do what she does now.

"It was either become a vet or find something else that you could use to be around dogs," Bell said. "And I just combined everything I like. I like doing hair, too."

Bell's planning on having events at the store in the coming months. She's having a Mother's Day raffle, and will auction off a gift basket too.