Family Comes First
A Colorado mother-and-daughter team strikes gold with a combination spa and gift store.
By Matthew Kalash -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 3/1/2001
Old-fashioned togetherness is a big deal for the Gerdes family at Hether's Gift and Beauty Emporium in old-fashioned Arvada, Colorado. The shop is owned by Sheri Gerdes, her husband, Gary, and her children, Hether Champlain and Michael Hawn. Visitors to Hether's can experience some of this togetherness by indulging in a full-service spa that includes massage, hairstyling, and beauty treatments; browsing merchandise in the upscale gift shop; and enjoying coffee, tea, and sweets-all in a one-stop shopping venue.
Giving Life to Dreams
After years running an excavating business with her husband, Sheri decided in the late 1990s that the time was ripe to have a go at the gift boutique she had always dreamed of opening. She envisioned a place that emphasized specialty merchandise in a relaxed atmosphere. At the same time, daughter Hether was having similar thoughts. An established hairstylist in the Arvada area with 20 years experience wielding a blow-dryer, Hether had been leasing salon space while raising her own children. She was looking forward to starting a full-service spa and beauty parlor where customer service would be accentuated. Old-fashioned togetherness seemed to be the solution when, in 1998, mother and daughter decided to establish a single business to serve both their dreams.
A Dream Location
Early in 1999, Sheri discovered a building in Olde Town Arvada, near Denver, that she thought would be perfect for an old-fashioned family business. Olde Town Arvada, which played a part in Colorado's gold-rush era of the 1800s, has been undergoing revitalization in recent years, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. To Sheri, the building she found was a nugget-but a nugget that would need a lot of polishing, which takes money. In the next step of togetherness, Gary Gerdes and Michael Hawn, a computer consultant, joined as investors in the family business.
The future home of Hether's was built in 1872, and two additions had been made in the ensuing years. Originally it housed a creamery, but most recently had been occupied by a handmade-furniture store. The structural hurdles presented in restoring the aged building included uneven floors, bowed ceilings, and crumbling walls. Much of the brickwork was too deteriorated to save. Everything from the plumbing to the electrical system had to be brought up to code. In addition, Sheri and her family faced the challenge of maintaining the "historic importance" of the building while creating an inviting, contemporary atmosphere for the combination salon, spa, gift store, and coffeehouse.
Making Old New Again
First, the inside of the old creamery was gutted. Archways were incorporated into the design to help reinforce the structural integrity of the old building. As a bonus, the archways helped give the interior a spaciousness that works well with the historic ambience of Olde Town, and helped create the kind of atmosphere that the owners were looking for. Light-colored stucco walls were erected to blend with the sections of brick that had been salvageable.
The ceilings were a disaster and had to be completely renovated. The new owners' raised their height to more than 17 feet, and installed front windows that reach almost from floor to ceiling. On the condition that they would maintain the historic character of the building, Hether's received a grant from the City of Arvada to replace the exterior with an entryway of exposed brick chosen to match the remnants from the original structure. The entire renovation took nine months and cost approximately $250,000. Lewis & Hines, a Denver architecture firm, handled the store design, while a number of contractors, including Caruso Kitchens, Stanmark Electric, and Rocky Mountain Heating and Plumbing, helped carry out the renovations.
A December Opening
On December 17, 1999, Hether's Gift and Beauty Emporium opened its doors. Because Hether Champlain had an established clientele, the new location had a good base of customers from day one. Soon, word-of-mouth spread the news about the distinctive boutique and coffee shop as well. Today, Hether's employs ten people in the salon and spa, and three in the boutique.
Customers enter the 2,200-square-foot establishment through the gift boutique, which has polished hardwood floors and shelves featuring an eclectic selection of gift items that line the brick walls on either side of the room. Merchandise includes personal care products, imported serveware, candles, gourmet items, and reading material. The bar serves specialty coffee drinks, and customers can select pastries and other sweet eats from a glass display case. There are also a number of chairs and café tables.
At the rear of the boutique, an arched doorway leads to the salon reception area and the individual hair stations designed to provide privacy for customers and their stylists. Adjacent rooms provide private spaces for manicures, pedicures, facials, and massages. In addition to health and beauty services, Hether's has a large selection of beauty products available in the salon.
Setting an Example
Hether's Gift and Beauty Emporium was one of the first businesses to come into Olde Town Arvada and completely renovate while maintaining the "historic" style. Since then, many more businesses have followed their example, and are restoring other charming buildings. Streets are being repaired and cast-iron lampposts are being installed to contribute to the ambience.
Meanwhile, Hether's is going strong. The business posted sales of $300,000 in its first year of business, and, according to Sheri, it is on track for another great year of old-fashioned togetherness.
