I grew up in Whitewater and have lived/worked here for the last 40+ years. I started my hairstyling career as a Cosmetology Apprentice in January of 2004.  I finished my apprenticeship through Cost Cutters, then moved on to a salon on the southwest side of Whitewater. I worked at this salon for 13 years, in that time it had three different owners. Through these changes I was able to learn the many ways a business can work. In the midst of COVID the current owner of this salon decided not to reopen. With only one month to open my own business and regain control of my career, this was the scary push I needed to put all of my experience to make my dream of owning my own salon come true.

It was a whirlwind of emotion and hard work to say the least. But with the support of my family, friends and community, we made it happen.  Due to a pandemic we faced a lot of roadblocks, but in the end it all worked out. 

I asked a co-worker from the previous salon to join me and together, Katie and I now share a nice spot downtown on Main St. We utilize Square for our appointments and payments – the updated technology offers us more time to pass on to our clients.

Our color and product line is Davines, which received a B-Corp Certification in 2016.  When a company becomes a B-Corp, it reinforces in its bylaws the commitment to operate not only for profit, but also for the benefit of the planet and the community. 

As the organizer of Whitewater’s Community Garden, I am a believer in self-sustainability so choosing a brand that fits my beliefs was a no brainer. I also utilize Grove Co. for our cleaning supplies because their products are sustainably crafted and tested to ensure performance for a clean salon and planet.

Visit the Botanica Beauty Parlour’s website at botanicaww.com.

Whitewater Community Garden is open to any and all community members in the Whitewater area  – Please email at [email protected] for more information.