Salon owners aid burned-out business

Essence Salon was destroyed by an early morning fire on March 30.

When owners Des Alderman and Jennifer Sabin and their staff arrived, the fire inspector already had cordoned off the business at 10109 N. Nevada St.

Everything in the shop was lost.

When Tom and Sue Millersmith, owners of Hair Etc., 1004 E. Francis Ave., heard about the fire, they were determined to do something to help.

They understood the loss experienced by their colleagues. They understood what it means to have their dreams, their jobs, their equipment vanish in an instant.

Their hearts went out to their fellow hairdressers in need.

How would the displaced workers make it being self-employed, a lot of them without state employment insurance to cover their loss of wages? How would they earn an income when they had no place to work?

For the Millersmiths, who have owned Hair Etc. at the same location since 1975, the answer was obvious: They would do what they could to help.

Tom Millersmith drove to the Essence Salon site, where Alderman, Sabin and their staff were in the parking lot waiting for the day’s customers. He offered the displaced workers his store to set up shop in as soon as they could.

“We have enough room to accommodate 15 people. But we have only nine employees and are in the process of hiring another, so we have plenty of space,” said Sue Millersmith. “All we had to do was move things around a little bit.”

Meeting with Alderman and Sabin the next day, the Millersmiths showed them that only minor changes would be needed to house everyone from Essence Salon, including a massage therapist.

So, the entire staff of Essence Salon set up shop in their new home on April 3. With tools offered at a discount by Idaho Barber and Beauty Supply, which also was on hand to offer help on the day of fire, and with the damaged appointment book retrieved by firefighters, the Essence staff went to work.

And working brings comfort and normalcy, not to mention income, to people suddenly disrupted in their routines.

“We are extremely grateful to Tom and Sue,” Alderman said. “Because of their generosity, we are able to be back to work so soon. And that helps a lot.”

Alderman and her co-workers said they have been overwhelmed by the generosity of fellow salon owners and workers as well as their clients, families, friends and strangers.

“Anybody would have done the same thing.” said Sue Millersmith. “We are just fortunate we have the room to help them.”