SUBMITTED PHOTO Jen Storbeck, the owner of Shear Envy, shows how she remodeled the interior of a familiar Gilman structure. The salon opened for business at the beginning of February.

GILMAN — A familiar structure in Gilman has been transformed into something new — a salon called Shear Envy.

Owned by Jen Storbeck, the salon is located in the former “old cottage” and was empty for more than 10 years after the restaurant closed. However, she and her husband, Chris, saw an opportunity in the old building to make Storbeck’s dream come true.

“After a year or two of doing hair, I knew I wanted to do my own thing,” she said.

Chris, who owns Storbeck Construction, did most of the remodeling work. They were surprised to find the building in good condition after being empty for so long.

“I was skeptical when we first started,” Storbeck said. “There was a big hood, which was a vent used for cooking in the middle of the area that we had to move. There were older lights dangling from the ceiling. Getting those out was crazy. Coming in here now, it’s beautiful.”

After Chris gave the entire place a new look by putting necessary aspects where they were needed and even changing the ceiling, she said walking inside was “crazy.”

“The floor is black, there are white cabinets,” she said. “The colors are black and white with gray walls. It’s classy and very peaceful.”

A graduate of Marshalltown High School, Storbeck finished her schooling at the former Iowa School of Beauty in Marshalltown in 2013. After working at Cost Cutters, she then rented a chair in a Grinnell salon for almost 10 years. As Storbeck commuted to work every day, her five kids attended school at East Marshall Community School District.

“I only have two left in school, and at this point, I am able to do this and make it work,” she said. “When I worked in Grinnell, making sporting events was hard. I had to get off work early. Kids were sick or there were school delays. The kids can walk here after school, which is nice.”

Shear Envy joins a small group of businesses in Gilman nestled within the city limits such as the Citizens Saving Bank, The Depot Express gas station and Partner Communications, a phone company.

Even though Gilman might not have the largest population, many of her clients followed Storbeck to Shear Envy. An average of eight clients per day walk through the doors.

“Everybody was really excited when I opened,” Storbeck said. “It’s been good. I’ve been really busy. I have clientele from Gilman, Grinnell, little towns around here, a lot of country folk.”

At Shear Envy, kids and adults can get haircuts, put extra curls in their hair with perms, try a different color, pamper their hands and feet with manicures and pedicures and even get spray tans.

Storbeck usually arrives at the salon at 8:30 a.m. and will stay as long as needed, as long as there is nothing going on with her children. However, she does not like to stay past 7 p.m. She also takes walk-ins.

“But it’s been so busy, if people come in, they can come back or I can schedule them from there,” Storbeck said. “I like to be accommodating to people.”

Saturdays are also included, but only by appointment. While Storbeck is the only person working there right now, Shear Envy has room for more cosmetologists.

“Right now, it’s just me, but I have room for three more who could rent a chair,” she said.

BUSINESS INFORMATION:

Name: Shear Envy

Address: 203 E. Church St., Gilman

Days: Mondays through Fridays, Saturdays by appointment

Hours: 8:30 a.m. until closing

Phone: 641-498-2426

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.