Evansville Courier & Press FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 Westside OPENING New Westside businesses are open to the public
8 FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 EVANSVILLE COURIER & PRESS WESTSIDE WESTSIDE FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 9 New West Side businesses open doors John Martin Evansville Courier & Press USA TODAY NETWORK EVANSVILLE, Ind. After working in the same West Side salon many years, Jodie Drone found herself at a crossroads when her boss chose to leave the business. Drone wasn t ready to hang up her scissors and curling iron, not by a long shot. She did a lot of thinking, a lot of planning. Finally, she decided it was time to become her own boss. Kendra Weinzapfel s situation was similar. A massage therapist, she always had a vision for a business that was unique to the West Side a place where someone could get a massage, a manicure, a pedicure, perhaps enjoy a glass of wine, and just relax. Like Drone, Weinzapfel was ready to take the plunge. But both women needed some guidance to achieve their goals. They found it at the Indiana Small Business Development Center, whose local office is housed at the Southwest Indiana Chamber. Julie Folz, one of the center s business advisers, worked with Drone and Weinzapfel on their business plans and on applying for revolving loan funds. Folz, who is retired from Mead Johnson, and her cohorts assist would-be business owners in eight area counties. The center is funded through a variety of sources. Because of that outside support, the center's many services are free. People are really surprised to hear that, Folz said. Drone s business, JS & Co., is in a strip mall at 706 N. Sonntag Ave. The first time Drone saw it, it was an empty stone shell, sandwiched between a small Wesselman s store and El Charro Mexican restaurant. This was empty for several years, Drone said. It was last a daycare, 15 years ago. I stuck my head in and was like, whoa, that s gonna be a lot of work. It was. But with the right kinds of help, Drone made it happen. She said she was fortunate to have some knowledgeable friends, including local contractor Jeff Happe, who built out the space. Writing a business plan was challenging, Drone said, but Folz s help was valuable. The process identifies an entrepreneur s strengths and weaknesses, examines the marketplace for their type of business, and determines what kind of financing they need. She s perfect for this job, Drone said of Folz. She s so understanding, and I would text her at all hours of the day. Drone and co-workers from her former salon have many established clients, but she said her new hires are seeking clients. We all decided to stick together, ost of us, and here we are. Weinzapfel s business, called Westside Washtub, is at 2818 Mount Vernon Avenue, very close to Drone s. She also opened in May. Weinzapfel has done massages for many years, and she explained her vision to Folz. I have my own niche, my own avenue I want to go down, Weinzapfel said. I m trying to separate myself from like a spa. Massage therapy is one of the oldest documented medical practices there is, and the majority of my clients come to because of certain spot-specific or chronic issues. It s not a fluffy massage, it s to the get a root of some issue. I m trying to do more the medical route with it. We ll eventually have supplements. My nail techs will eventually have some reflexology training. We will hopefully hook up with a podiatrist so Continued on next page Jodie Drone styles Billie Watson s hair at JS & Co a Salon, Style and Supply Shop, 706 N. Sonntag Ave. on Evansville s west side. MIKE LAWRENCE/COURIER & PRESS
10 FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 EVANSVILLE COURIER & PRESS WESTSIDE Kendra Weinzapfel prepares a massage room for a client at Westside Washtub at 2818 Mt. Vernon Ave. MIKE LAWRENCE/COURIER & PRESS we have a referral system. You know, doing something different that isn t typically a spa. We re always trying to do what s better for the client and not just some silly upcharges. It s all about comfort at Westside Washtub. The business catchline: Leave your dirty laundry at home. Folz and other Indiana Small Business Development Center coaches can help clients with establishing their LLC and with obtaining revolving loan funding through Evansville city government or through a program administered by Vectren. Drone and Weinzapfel dealing with Evansville city government on permitrelated issues was more difficult than it should have been for new small businesses. It took three and a half weeks to get the fire marshal in here, even, Weinzapfel said. Both, however, embraced the assistance they received from the Small Business Development Center on other aspects of getting their businesses off the ground. I d encourage anybody interested in opening a small business to do it. Drone said. It s very worth it.
WESTSIDE FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 11 Weinzapfel shows Teri Kessler the new pedicure sinks. PHOTOS BY MIKE LAWRENCE/COURIER & PRESS Weinzapfel with her daughter Alleina Basham, 8, at the front desk of her new business, Westside Washtub that features therapeutic well spring massage, pedicure and manicures located at 2818 Mt. Vernon Ave. The sign in front of Weinzapfel's new business, Westside Washtub announces it s now open for clients seeking massages, pedicures and manicures.
12 FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 EVANSVILLE COURIER & PRESS WESTSIDE Alleina Basham, 8, camps out on a chaise lounge at Westside Washtub. MIKE LAWRENCE/COURIER & PRESS
WESTSIDE FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 13 Jodie Drone washes Billie Watson s hair in her new business, JS & Co a Salon, Style and Supply Shop in a strip shopping center off of North Sonntag Avenue on Evansville s west side. Watson has been a client of Drone s for 20 years. MIKE LAWRENCE / COURIER & PRESS
14 FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 EVANSVILLE COURIER & PRESS WESTSIDE The interior of Drone s new business. The sign in front of Jodie Drone s new business. Jodie Drone uses a blowdryer on a client s hair. PHOTOS BY MIKE LAWRENCE / COURIER & PRESS