The former fire station on the corner of Guyton and Wilson streets is being put to good use with businesses operating from both levels.
There's ballet upstairs, residences, artists' studios ... and Carol Hayward runs Chonel Ltd hairdressing downstairs. Recently she expanded the business by making space for Kristina Verschoor.
Kristina's space
is her own business called Cerise and it's well equipped for the locally qualified beautician. She studied at Whanganui UCOL and the evidence is framed and hung on the wall of her salon.
"I didn't want to miss this opportunity and wonder later, so this is where I am," says 24-year-old Kristina.
It came about when Carol advertised for a beauty therapist. Kristina answered the ad, learned the details and went ahead to own her own business attached to a Chonel. At the time she was working at another Wanganui salon.
Her space used to be an office, but with hard work and some imagination, Kristina has made it practical, comfortable and personal.
"My parents have been great, helping me put up the shelving and everything," she says.
It's a lovely room; light, warm and furnished with the comfort and ease of the client in mind.
There's a Marilyn Monroe quote on the wall: "A smile is the best makeup any girl can wear." A photograph of the star hangs near the door.
Kristina started her training in 2010, completing a two-year course.
"I went to a salon and offered to do work experience for free." That gradually turned into casual, part-time work, then part-time work then full-time work. It paid off. "I was there for two years and now I'm here.
"So people can be getting their hair done, and while they're processing their colour or whatever they're getting done, they can come and get their nails done, or get a massage ...."
Kristina can provide a full body massage or half back and shoulder massage (which comes with a scrub); manicures, pedicures, gel polish; eyelash and eyebrow tinting and eyebrow shapes; makeup and waxing of all kinds.
Products such as Joyce Blok, Quoi and Faby line the shelves, favourites because of quality, price and effectiveness.
Of course you'll find all this information on her Cerise Facebook page.
Although no longer a fire station, there's life in the old building still.
