When Christy Watson decided to open her salon and spa, Bella Magnolia, she brought a wide array of hair, massage, and skin care services to the community. Since 2017, the business has offered customers a sanctuary where they may forget the daily stresses of life.
However, COVID-19 posed a new stress both for Magnolia’s people and its businesses, including Watson’s salon and spa.
The local Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at Southern Arkansas University recently caught up with Christy to talk about the impact the pandemic had on her business and Bella Magnolia’s return to operations.
Christy recounted the stressful seven-week period of being shut down.
“We couldn’t work,” she said. “I was very fortunate to have contacts at the bank who kept me in with the ASBTDC. The ASBTDC kept me abreast of any grants or different programs to help me financially and keep the doors open during that period of time.”
Watson said SAU ASBTDC Director Janell Morton played a key role in keeping her informed by sending daily updates on financial programs and other resources to assist her business.
Eventually, restrictions began to loosen. Christy described her and her employees’ anxiousness to resume operations. She remarked about the slow return to normalcy, the initial reluctance of customers to return, and Bella Magnolia’s COVID accommodations to keep customers safe and healthy.
Needing a stronger online presence, Watson worked with ASBTDC Specialty Services to upgrade Bella Magnolia’s website. The new site lists and describes each of Bella Magnolia’s services and allows customers the ability to book appointments online.
“The new website will serve as another point of contact for Bella Magnolia and customers that want to utilize its services,” said Watson about the sleek new site.
When launching the new website, Christy had hoped that the ability to book appointments online would appeal to those who were hesitant about venturing out during the pandemic.
Now as time has passed, she stated that she had already seen the website pay dividends, and thanked the SAU ASBTDC for assisting her with gathering the tools and resources for the project.
Find the website at https://bellamagnoliaspa.com.
