SOUTHAMPTON — Even though Craft Salon is one of Southampton’s new businesses, the owner feels right at home after expanding into a family-owned space she worked in as a child.
Craft Salon co-owners Shelley Truehart and Ann Boyden recently expanded from their original location in South Hadley into the building located at 25 College Highway, but the building is much more than just a salon to Truehart.
In 1982, the building was opened and operated by Shelley’s mother, Darcy, and aunt, Cathy, as Truehart’s Garden Center and Florist Shop, until Cathy died from cancer in 2005. Constructed by her father, Paul, and uncle, Rick, the building served as both a business and a place that Shelley fondly remembers working and playing in as a child.
“I really feel my family’s energy and my aunt’s energy when I’m in here,” said Shelley. “She was a very happy person, she was always laughing … Now, we’re here making people feel good, making people smile and that’s what my aunt did everyday.”
After the closing of the florist shop, the family maintained ownership of the building and property, renting it out to several businesses including an ice cream shop, an exotic fish and pet store and most recently a pool services business.
“This property, when it was a florist shop, was beautiful, warm and inviting,” Shelley said. “It made people really happy to be here and since its been a retail property, nobody has really cared as much about the property and what it looks like inside. People are coming back in here and having people walk in as a really beautiful, warm space. It hasn’t been that in a long time.”
In 2019, Truehart and Boyden became partners and opened the first Craft Salon on 491 Granby Road in South Hadley. The duo previously worked for more than 20 years together at a different salon, until they heard about a vacancy in the family-owned building, jumping at the opportunity to expand.
“We wanted a second location in Southampton and this just so happened to be perfect,” said Boyden.
“It has been great,” Shelley said about the expansion. “We’re excited to be in town, we’re excited to offer our services to this area and meet new people … We’ve been welcomed really nicely.”
Shelley currently lives in Southampton, where she was born and raised in the house right next to the property on 25 College Highway. The property owned by the family also includes Truehart Paving & Construction.
“There’s a lot of nostalgia here for me because I grew up in this building helping my parents and my aunt run their business as a florist shop, so it’s just really cool for it to come around full circle,” said Shelley.
When they made the move, Shelley and Boyden had family members renovate the space for the salon refurbishing the original wooden frame, walls and ceiling that remain a significant part of the building’s interior and exterior. Additionally, the owners care for plants from the original florist shop that still live in the salon in dedication to the old family business.
“This is probably one of the biggest joys of my life,” said Shelley about being able to continue a legacy of family-owned businesses.
Craft Salon offers a variety of haircuts and treatment services for children and adults, including coloring and blonding, styling and texture treatments and hair extensions. Craft is partnered with Green Circle Salons, a company that partners with salons and claims to recover up to 95% of their beauty waste materials including hair clippings, foils, excess hair color, aerosol cans, and color tubes.
“We’re really excited to be a part of the community here,” said Shelley. “Whether you want to get your hair done or not, we want you to come and say hello … Our salon in South Hadley has been really successful and we’re hoping to be just as successful here.”
Craft employs a range of professional hair stylists with different experience levels and areas of expertise. Boyden noted that a wide range of experience levels helps the stylists learn from each other.
“I have always wanted to have my own business,” said Shelley. “I was happy to have it in South Hadley and now I’m even happier to have it in Southampton.”
Sam Ferland can be reached at sferland@gazettenet.com.
