Bare Beauty Studio is expanding its space and services with the help of a $5,000 forgivable loan from the Algona Area Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC).
The new location of Bare Beauty Studio, owned by esthetician Emerald Buscher, will open at 114 N. Dodge Street this spring. The new studio offers six different treatment rooms that will accommodate a dermatologist, massage therapist and cosmetologist, in addition to Buscher and a second esthetician.
“I have expanded into a full functioning spa,” Buscher said.
Bare offers a range of natural skin and body care products and spa services, including facials, body treatments and wraps. Buscher’s specialty is full body sugaring, a treatment that utilizes simple, natural ingredients instead of wax to remove hair from the body. Funds from the Algona Advantage Program will help her bring a new service to the community later this spring – a Himalayan salt room.
“The salt room allows your body to detox,” Buscher said. “The salt room is beneficial for your lungs, and for people with asthma or any breathing conditions. It’s great for your skin, it exfoliates your skin, and it’s also helpful to people with skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema.”
In addition to building her own business, Buscher wants to help others build theirs. With more than five years of experience under her belt as a small business owner, she aims to be a resource for the other service providers that will work independently within Bare’s studio. The providers offer a variety of different services that will complement each other’s skills.
“They are all first-time business owners, and that’s really what I was looking for. Going this route, I can be a reference to help and guide them along the way. I want to watch them all be successful. We’re all helping each other,” she said.
When preparing to apply for a different business loan program back in 2020, Buscher sought business planning support from Shelly Brown at the Tietz Entrepreneurial Center.
“She helped me create my business plan and was a great resource,” Buscher said.
Bare also received $20,000 from the City of Algona’s Small Business Revolving Loan Fund. After submitting her city loan application, Deputy City Administrator Barb Smith recommended that Buscher explore applying for Algona Advantage funds as well.
“The Algona Advantage loan helped tremendously. [The salt room] will be so beneficial to the community. The revolving loan fund helped as well. The community is trying to help new businesses,” she said.
The Algona Advantage Program was created by AAEDC in 2023 to attract new businesses to the area and promote the expansion of existing businesses that will diversify or enhance the local business economy. The Algona Advantage Program offers a forgivable loan of up to $5,000 to qualifying businesses relocating to or expanding within the City of Algona.
To learn more about local business incentives, visit www.algonaiowa.gov or contact Barb Smith at 515-295-2411.