Dana Strickland, left, and her daughter JanaLee are offering the full spa treatment at their new hair salon and spa J Lily & Co., located at 363 Overland Road in Clinton.

Amanda Jordan gives a customer a manicure on opening day of the new hair salon and spa.

Registered nurse and registered esthetician Kelly Schaffer offers facial treatments as part of J Lily’s spa services.

Stylist Keri Hunter puts the finishing touches on Bailey Miller’s hair at J Lily & Co.

A family venture designed to make a granddaughter’s dream a reality has blossomed into a virtual beauty buffet that offers area men, women and children a palate of services that range from facials and massages to hair cuts, highlights, pedicures and manicures.

It all can be found under one roof at 363 Overland Road, behind Walmart, where owner Dana Strickland and daughter JanaLee, along with six other cosmetologists, a licensed manicure therapist and a certified esthetician are all waiting to meet customer’s needs, whatever those needs may be.

On the official first day of business nearly three weeks ago now, Janalee and her mother were all smiles, chatting with customers as they offered lemonade and a run-through of the services offered at the business named for the younger Strickland

The name J Lily is a tribute to Janalee, the J and L representing her name, the ily standing for “I love you,” words spoken often by the younger Strickland’s grandparents Earl and Peggy Wells, who dote on the newly licensed cosmetologist and wanted to help make her dream of running a hair salon and spa a reality.

“It’s all about family and believing in those dreams,” Dana Strickland said, noting that through the years her daughter had always kept a watchful eye on her as she helped youngsters with their hair for proms and other school functions.

Strickland coached volleyball and softball at Union High School for 12 years and always had teenagers around her, oftentimes helping them with makeup and hair. A young Janalee would keep that watchful eye on her mom, formulating in her own mind a dream of one day going to cosmetology school and opening her own salon.

“It’s a great thing to have your dream come true,” Janalee said during an interview at the salon, casting one watchful eye around the new facility with its modern-day amenities, sure to delight customers of all ages.

“We want this to be a place that offers something for everyone. If you want a pedicure, we can do that; a manicure, we can do that; if you want to shop for clothes or earrings, we got it in the boutique. And if you’re looking the spa treatment, we’ve got that too,” Janalee said.

Her mother nodded in agreement. “We are a full service facility; we offer everything. We wanted to have a place where people could be able to have a whole spa day in one place, and never have to leave Sampson County. Instead of going out of town, you can get that spa experience right here with us, but with prices that are comparable to the area.”

The former coach and hog farmer who lives in the Ingold community, said owning a spa was a new adventure for her and her daughter, but a challenge they have accepted with open and grateful arms. “We had a vision for doing something like this and we started looking for a place, thinking we might as well do it all, go for it. Honestly, it has turned out better than we even expected.”

For the Stricklands, J Lily & Co. is a daily adventure and one they are looking forward to watching grow as more and more people learn of what they offer.

“I have to admit this is a really new experience for me and for Janalee, but we are so exciting about the opportunity and about offering something to people in Sampson and surrounding areas that maybe they’ve never quite had before. We are all about customer service here. People who give us a try will see that right off.”

J Lily & Co. offers myriad services such as cuts, perms, color and highlighting, manicures and pedicures, spray tanning, facials, massage therapy and, the Shine boutique to boot.

The business is open 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Appointments are accepted but walk-ins, Janalee said, are also welcome.

What’s more, Dana Strickland noted, if a customer has a special day or time need, it can and will be accommodated if at all possible. “We are here to meet our customers’ needs.”