"If you don't support your local businesses, we may not be here for you when this is over."
That's the message Alison Stewart, owner and operator of Gratitude Day Spa in Cookstown wants every Canadian to know as we battle through the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stewart opened her quaint, country boutique spa three years ago after leaving her corporate job in the city, becoming a mother and going back to school to learn esthetics.
"When my son came along, my priorities shifted," she explained about the main reason for her career change.
After working at various spa locations in the area, she realized in order to make enough money to support herself and her family, she would need to open her own business. So she took a leap of faith, started searching for spaces to offer her services, and fell in love with the charming house on Queen Street in Cookstown.
"I remember coming here and looking...the price was good," she said about the space. Its prime downtown location on the main street was also a draw for her, with the potential of drawing in a lot of customers.
But over the years she noticed that attracting clients was not as easy as she had hoped, noting the area has become more of a drive-through town, with not a lot of foot traffic. Thankfully, she was still able to slowly build her clientele, through social media and word of mouth referrals.
"I came here with no clients," she explained. "I opened up on the Wing Ding Weekend, and I was booked and it just sailed from there," she said.
Things were going well, until March when COVID-19 hit and forced the province into a lockdown.
Like many other small business owners, she was able to get by with the government's CERB payments and is thankful that her landlord has been understanding about payment deadlines.
She reopened in June with limited services and was able to get by with her regular clients over the summer months, but as soon as October hit and COVID cases started to soar, she saw a huge drop in appointments.
"People are back to not doing anything, staying home and quarantining," she said.
With more people working from home, and not attending events, she says the demand for beauty services has dropped drastically. She is thankful for her handful of regular clients who have been helping keep her afloat.
She has been trying to think of new ways to bring in clients, recently adding relaxation services to her menu, including Indian Head Massages and Guided Meditation Massage.
Prior to the pandemic, Stewart would be seeing at least three to four clients per day, and now is only seeing a few per week.
"And that's the frustrating part as a small business, you have to support your small business or they will not be here (after the pandemic)," she lamented. "And that's what a lot of people don't get."
"Businesses will shut down," she warned.
She understands the hesitation people may have about personal services, or venturing out in public, and likes the idea of ordering online.
"But with the service industry, we can't put anything online," she explained. She encourages people to consider purchasing gift certificates over the holidays to help small business owners like herself get through the pandemic hurdle.
"Small business, you have to support them, because they don't have the support of the big box shops," she explained.
"It's scary as a small business owner and as a single mom, this is the most terrifying thing I've ever gone through because you have zero control at all, you just hold your breath and pray to God that you see the light and you make it through," she said about the past year.
"And when you're in a small town like Cookstown, it's even scarier, because you don't have Barrie, Newmarket or Bradford (clients to rely on), this is it."
Stewart prides herself on offering one-on-one private pre-booked appointments with half an hour in between each client. She wants clients to know she has taken all the necessary steps to ensure all safety protocols are being followed as per the Ministry of Health. She says working in the esthetics industry, sanitization and sterilization is something that is a priority for her business, and always has been, even before COVID-19.
"It's the integrity of your business," she explained. She uses hospital-grade cleaning products to ensure proper sanitization of all her tools and equipment.
She enjoys the connections she has made over the years with her regular clients and hopes to be able to continue offering her services in the future. To have to close up shop again, she fears will be the end of her business for good, after investing her hard-earned savings to see it come to life.
"This is my passion, I love it, I love helping people," she shared.
"The customers that come in I bond with them," she said. "Everyone around here is very loving...this is a little town spa, it's unique, it's quaint."
Most of her clients come from Cookstown, and she has a few from Newton Robinson, Alliston and Innisfil.
Gratitude Day Spa is located at 7 Queen Street in Cookstown, offering manicures, pedicures, foot care, Indian Head Massages, Registered Massage Therapy, Eyelashes, Eyebrows, and Guided Meditation. Gift certificates are also available.
"I just want people to know that I'm here," she said. "I want to service the community, keep the community safe, make sure clients feel relaxed and de-stressed, I want to be part of that experience."
To learn more, visit their website here, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @gratitudedayspa01.
