After working roughly six years as a pet groomer, Lynze Sanders said she wanted to do better.

“I saw a lot of shops not do good towards the animals,” Sanders said. “I learned what not to do from them.”

During that time, she said she always wanted to set up her own pet grooming salon, and now her dream is becoming a reality.

LB Grooming Spaw is setting up shop in Elizabethton’s Downtown area, bringing with it at least six years of experience in making sure dogs are as well-groomed as possible.

“We want to help animals feel more comfortable,” bather Felicia Humphrey said.

Humphrey is a close friend of Sanders, and said she signed on in order to support her friend’s endeavors with the new salon.

Sanders said she is bringing with her a unique vision for a grooming salon.

“We want to bring creativity to it,” she said. “This includes hair dye and other accessories.”

More than that, though, she said she wants the spa to be an educational experience for pet owners as well.

“We want to make sure people know how to properly take care of their pets,” Sanders said. “We are not just in this for the money.”

She said this was one of the reasons why she wanted to start her own salon instead of working at someone else’s.

“Some of them just groom for the money,” she said. “I take my time with each animal and owner. I want people to trust me.”

Currently, they said they only have plans to groom dogs, not cats.

Humphrey said they want to foster relationships with both dogs and members of the community as well.

“We love the atmosphere of downtown,” she said. “It has a historic character.”

Sanders said the business is returning to their roots.

“This is where we grew up,” Sanders said. “We want to be part of the car shows and Covered Bridge festivals.”

Currently, they plan to officially open their doors at the end of March of this year. They are currently working on setting up the plumbing, but they are not planning on stopping anytime soon.

“When they come here, they will get the best quality we can give,” Sanders said.

The shop will open up at 435 East Elk Avenue.