SUPERIOR – As Leslie Heppe prepared to leave her job as cook at the Superior Senior Citizen Center, she opened the Paw Spa to try her hand at running her own business.

The Paw Spa opened on Jan. 3. The pet grooming shop offers everything a pet could want from a day at the spa. From bathing, trimming hair and cutting nails to cleaning teeth, the Paw Spa has it all.

“[I’ll do] whatever needs to be done,” Heppe said.

Heppe specializes in dogs and the shop works exclusively with them. The Paw Spa welcomes pets from all over the county to enjoy what it has to offer. As long as appointments are made, any breed is welcome.

Since its opening, the community has welcomed the new business and caused a boom of customers for Heppe.

Scheduling an appointment well in advance makes it easier for Heppe to prepare for her client. This way, she can plan ahead for big dogs with short hair, small dogs with long hair or something in between. The prices vary depending on the type of dog and what kind of hair it has.

Heppe felt the business offered a good arrangement since it meant people could drop their pet off and do their own thing for an hour or two before coming back. Having the business in town was also good because it meant owners did not have to travel as much.

“They don’t have to drive to Missoula or Plains,” said Heppe.

The Paw Spa only works by appointment. Any walk-ins are to work on the dog’s nails and give them a manicure. Appointments also mean there are fewer animals sitting around. According to Heppe, when dogs are waiting to be groomed, the stress and other dogs can make them nervous.

Requiring appointments also means there are fewer chances for fights to break out among people’s pets.

At the moment, Paw Spa is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Because of her work at the senior center, Heppe has had to work restricted hours. Once a new cook is found for the senior center, she plans to be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Even if a new cook cannot be found, Heppe plans to go full time with the Monday through Thursday schedule at the end of May.

With a large portion of the population on fixed income, reasonable prices are important to Heppe. While no specifics were given, she said her prices were reasonable and would appeal to people. She felt lower prices would give people incentive to see her instead of spending extra to go to Missoula.

The Paw Spa is located on River Street in Superior, just over the river and before the street dead ends into Mullan Road.