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By Lourdes Medrano
Looking for the kind of pampering that allows you to sink into a soft leather chair to get a pedicure and a back massage simultaneously?
That's one of the services the high-end Jabez Hair and Nail Studio offers at its new location on Costco Drive. St. Patrick's Day was its first day of business.
"I was beyond ecstatic," owner Bennette Martinez said recently at the salon.
In addition to the luxury pedicures, Martinez and about a half-dozen other women offer hairstyling, manicures, full-body waxing and a wealth of professional experience.
Some examples: Martinez has been cutting and styling hair for 15 years. It's been 18 years for Patricia Silva and 35 for Ann Johnson.
Most of the women have worked together at other high-end salons, Martinez said. Last year, they decided to leave their jobs and join Martinez in her new venture.
Martinez, a single mother intent on owning a salon, said that last year she decided to use equity in her home and take a leap of faith. Hence, the name of her business.
"Jabez is a prayer to prosper, to expand your territory and to keep evil from you," she said.
Silva, Martinez's childhood friend, said she and her colleagues strive to deliver top-of-the-line services along with warm hospitality.
Johnson said the women's unity and respect for each other's work results in a relaxed ambience for customers. "People feel comfortable here," she said.
It is exactly the kind of place Martinez said she wanted to own for years, even before she enrolled in a small-business course five years ago. The class helped prepare her to start a business, she said. But she and the other hairstylists - independent contractors who rent space from her - had to overcome construction delays and power failures before opening the salon on March 17.
"It was a dream come true for me," Martinez said.
Hairstylist Bennette Martinez works on longtime client Lisa Keller at Jabez, a hair and salon Martinez opened recently in Marana.
● Contact reporter Lourdes Medrano at 573-4347 or lmedrano@azstarnet.com.
Source: Arizona Daily StarAll rights reserved.