By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Women are at the heart of a Bowling Green collaborative that includes five women-owned businesses under one roof.
The collaboration is not new, but the name and the location are. The Suites of BG at 128 S. Prospect St. formerly was Kalifornia Glow and Suites at 115 N. Main St.
With its new location and new brand, the business officially opened its doors Tuesday afternoon at the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Kali Hammer of Kalifornia Glow and Dot Barnes of All About You Aesthetics and Wellness, principals in the business, transformed the former optometrist office into a beautiful, welcoming and safe, women-centric space.
They decided to update the name to make it more inclusive and to inform the community that there are different women-owned businesses within the facility.
“Dot and I decided to join forces and just create something more wonderful than what we had downtown,” Hammer said. “We wanted to bring our customers, number one, better parking and a better location, because I felt like we got a little bit lost between the restaurants and bars.”
“It was kind of a big journey when we decided to switch everything up and move our location, but in the end, it’s been really good,” Barnes said. “We love the sense of community we have built with each other and the opportunity to provide our services to our community.”
Their community inside the Suites at BG includes:
- Barnes’ All About You Aesthetics and Wellness services—Lip and dermal fillers, chemical peels, IV hydration, wellness injections, medically managed weight loss program, skin tightening, body sculpting and lymphatic drainage.
- Kalifornia Glow services with owner Hammer and MaKayla Zehring—Spray tanning, body buffing, ear piercing, permanent jewelry, and teeth whitening.
- Taylor Shepard’s Desert Rose Beauty services—Waxing (including Brazilian, brows, lips, chin, arms/under arms, etc.) facials, lashes, and facial tinting.
- The Ivory Beauty Co. services with owners Hanah Lynch and Rachel Eisel—Bridal hair and makeup, as well as hair and makeup styling for photoshoots and special events.
- Bella Okapal’s I.D.O. Nails—Nail services including manicures, nail art, gel and structure removal.
“This space is outstanding,” said Chamber Executive Director Mary Hinkelman as she welcomed the collaborative to the new location.
She praised Hammer and Barnes for “the momentum you’ve shown to the community of Bowling Green. We know you are vested in this community, and we are so appreciative of each and every one of you for joining the team.”
“I’m happy to celebrate this new beginning,” said Bowling Green Mayor Mike Aspacher, noting the commitment Hammer and Barnes have to the community. “What most impressed me was the collaboration that exists in this space between the women-owned businesses, and that you come together in this space to provide support for each other. “I think it’s emblematic in many ways of the spirit of Bowling Green, where there is care, compassion, collaboration and partnership.”
The Suites’ businesses are each independent and book services separately; however, a one-stop link to all of the services is available at msha.ke/thesuitesofbg.
Lynch and Eisle of The Ivory Beauty Co. are happy with their space in the new location. They have been in business together for over a year, expanding the services of Lynch’s former Hanah J. Beauty Co. Together with 12-13 stylists in northwest Ohio, they primarily do hair and makeup for weddings, but also offer the same beauty treatment for photo shoots, events, holiday parties, “anything that you need your hair and makeup done extra good for,” Lynch said.
Zehring, who joined Hammer over a year ago to help with the spray tanning services, said Kalifornia Glow’s new space, while a little smaller than the North Main Street location, offers a fun vibe with lots of neon pink and cheetah print.
“Overall, the space here is awesome and has more opportunities for everybody,” she said.
For Shepard, The Suites of BG provides the perfect spot for comfort and care for waxing services, which on first blush can be intimidating. With a pink glow throughout the space, the room is private and quiet, tucked down the hallway.
A self-proclaimed social butterfly, Shepard makes sessions easy and comfortable, talking to clients throughout the process, helping them to relax and making sure they know the process,
All About You Aesthetics and Wellness is in business “to make women feel better about themselves,” said Barnes, who is a nurse practitioner. She moved from working in a doctor’s office to owning her own business so she could “still take care of people but more in a way of helping people feel good about themselves and get healthier. I think this location will make a difference” for people seeking services like the IV hydration, aesthetics and wellness services.
