J’s Salon reaches out to Ooh La La Salon
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| Ooh La La Salon stylists Tiana Maupin (from left), Roszan Conger and owner Cheri Swanson are welcomed by J’s Salon owners Jay Suarez, Clare Suarez and stylist Andrea Leffelman. The Suarezes have offered space at their salon, located at 34 E. Marion St. in Princeton, for the Ooh La La staff after last week’s fire that heavily damaged the Ooh La La building at 225 N. Main St., Princeton. (BCR photo/Donna Barker) |
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PRINCETON — On Sunday, Cheri Swanson stood in disbelief as she watched her dreams go up in smoke ...
“It’s the worst feeling you can ever imagine,” Swanson said, referring to the fire that wreaked havoc on her business, Ooh La La Salon at 225 N. Main St. “It is undescribable to watch something like that happen.”
At about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Princeton firefighters responded to the blaze, finding intense fire and smoke throughout the attic space of the building and moderate smoke conditions in the second floor apartments. Swanson’s salon was on the first floor of the building.
The fire was brought under control in about 25 minutes, but not without great costs: Fire, heat and water damage was contained to the attic, however, water and smoke damage was evident on the second floor and throughout Swanson’s salon ... thus closing the doors at the local shop for Swanson and her two employees, Roszan Conger and Tiana Maupin.
“Basically, there’s a lot of water and smoke damage,” Swanson said. “The ceilings have to be ripped out, and the new hardwood floors have to be replaced. There’s also smoke damage throughout the building. Everything in the entire building, from top to floor, has to be cleaned. We’ve worked the past six years remodeling everything, and now it has to be done again.”
And then the phone rang ...
Clare Suarez, who along with her husband, Jay Suarez, own J’s Salon at 34 E. Marion St. in Princeton knows Swanson very well. Swanson used to have a station at J’s Salon for five years before she opened Ooh La La.
“When I heard about Cheri’s fire, I immediately thought what a great way to get her back in my salon, so I can work with her again. I’ve missed her terribly,” Clare said. “I talked it over with Jay, and he thought it was a good idea too. We decided to ask her if she wanted to set up shop in our salon until she could get her own salon back in order.”
“We always enjoyed having Cheri here before, and we hoped this would help her out,” Jay added. “I would do whatever I can to help give back to the community, so it’s my pleasure to offer Cheri and her staff some space in our salon.”
Swanson said she was honored and thrilled with the offer.
“It’s beyond words,” she said. “I am so thankful to them for offering this to me. I am overjoyed ... By them opening their salon to us, they are saving my business and putting my employees back to work, so they aren’t without a job.”
Swanson, Maupin and Conger will see their customers at J’s Salon Tuesdays through Saturdays. Clients can still call the regular Ooh La La telephone number at 815-872-5252 to make appointments. Swanson said she either has or will be calling customers who already have appointments in the book to make sure they are aware of the change. They can also stop by J’s Salon if they want to speak with any of them personally. Swanson noted that customers will be not be able to use credit/debit cards at their appointment.
“Our hearts felt the need to reach out to Cheri and her staff at Ooh La La after we heard about the horrific catastrophe,” Jay said. “As we all know, this thing called beauty has no time to be delayed or postponed. I am so glad Clare and I could accommodate Cheri and her staff’s needs.”
“This is a small town, and people should help other people out,” Clare added. ”That’s what we do here. I would hope if tragedy ever hit us, our friends would do the same. We look so forward to having Cheri and her two stylists working with us every day, and we hope their clients will feel welcome in our salon.”
Besides the Suarez family, Swanson said she appreciates the outpouring of support.
“I’m just very thankful to everyone who has reached out to us,” she said. “It’s great to live in a small community. I’m overjoyed and thankful to everyone who has reached out to us.
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Great to see some one in business being nice. |
