Vacant space blooms into beauty business in Bancroft

Jaimie Jolly, Kelley White and Talia Switzer have pooled their beauty expertise and set up shop. / SARAH SOBANSKI Special to This Week 

Bancroft now has a beauty district.

“The idea is that people can literally pull into one parking lot and get everything done – kind of how there's the theatre district. We want to be known as the beauty district in a sense,” said new Bancroft business Thistle and Bloom co-owner Jaimie Jolly.

Jolly, Kelley White and Talia Switzer have pooled their beauty expertise and set up shop where North Hastings Pharmacy used to be, beside True Scarlette. Jolly specializes in permanent makeup and makeup artistry. White specializes in hair styling. Talia specializes in everything to do with lashes and photography.

“It's a good idea because the three of us are really passionate about what we do and we really care about making people feel beautiful inside and out. I'm really excited to be able to offer what we offer here in Bancroft. There's a lot of things we offer that aren't here,” said White. “It's kind of nice to have a one stop shop.”

“We're not going to be in competition at all with True Scarlette; that's a spa. She'll always do the aesthetics and tanning. We're going to be doing the hair, makeup, lashes and photography,” said Jolly, who noted some of the boutique's packages could also incorporate beauty treatments from the True Scarlette. “Whether it's girls' weekends or wedding parties, you know, in this one little hub they can come and get everything done.”

The three teamed up to have a central space to bring clients, but also to have a space that other beauty entrepreneurs can use to pursue their own business dreams.

“It was just time to come into town because we all kind of live on the outskirts. It's just nice to have a central location. We all have the same passion. We were all entrepreneurs,” said Switzer. “It's been really great so far.”

Aesthetics workers will be able to rent space for a flat rate to create a home base for clients from Bancroft and surrounding area.

“The main focus of Thistle and Bloom outside of Jaimie Jolly, Kelley White and Talia Switzer is empowering other people to take ownership. You hear so much in Bancroft that there's no work … We were all in that situation … You create your work,” said Jolly. “To be able to offer that space to other people and that opportunity just to empower them, at the end of the day that's our keyword, just to take ownership back. Nowadays, especially in a small town, if you're not self-employed or working for the government you're probably making minimum wage.”

Jolly said hairstylists from Belleville, Peterborough and Toronto are already interested in using the space for out-of-town clients who make trips to them once or twice a month.

“We are hoping to rent out. We have a couple of options for people to rent out my space while I'm off to still be able to offer hair services while I'm away,” said White who's heading off on maternity leave.

Thistle and Bloom also has a reading and playing nook for little ones.

“Us moms, you know, sometimes you can't always get a sitter,” said Switzer.