JILLIAN GRACE SALON

By Nancy Johnson, Staff Writer

Is it a coincidence, or are women taking over in Penn Township? Take a trip to the stylish Jenners Commons, on Vineyard Way, right off Old Baltimore Pike in Jennersville, and see for yourself. The quaint village-type business park is currently home to five businesses and every one of them is run by, you guessed it, women!

Appropriately, the first tenant to open their doors at Jenners Commons was Kids First in February of 2007. Owned by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Kids First caters to the medical needs of children from newborns to age 18.

Linda Neubauer, RN, C., practice manager for the West Grove branch of Kids First confirms that the nurse practitioner, Stacey O. Bachman, C.P.N.P. and all five doctors, Cheryl F. Lowe, MD, F.A.A.P., Vicky L. Scheid, MD, F.A.A.P., Linda C. Barkasy, MD, F.A.A.P., and Deborah R. Drop, MD, F.A.A.P. are women.

This branch, which is one of 19 Kids First offices in Pennsylvania, was previously located further down Old Baltimore Pike in West Grove. Neubauer explains that the practice had outgrown their space at their previous location. Their new facility has 15 exam rooms, compared to the 6 they had before. “This is a great location,” claims Neubauer. “We are much more visible here, and we really like the village look of Jenners Commons versus the layered building style.”

Sedona franchise owner, Sharon Hillwig, opened in November 2007 and is very happy with her business so far. “I didn’t want the strip mall environment and this is the perfect location for us to create the more intimate environment our members want,” she explains. Sedona is really three facilities in one. First, it is a women’s club consisting of a hydraulic circuit room, cardio equipment and a fitness classroom for yoga, pilates, etc. There is also a locker room with showers and a sauna room with state-of-the-art FAR infrared saunas. The second part is a full day spa offering manicures/pedicures, tanning, facials, cellulite reduction, and massage. The third component is a co-ed workout room with circuit equipment as well as cardio equipment.

When Diane Hernandez, DMD, sought a location to start her own premier dental practice, she specifically searched for one in Penn Township. “I live in the township and it is such a growing area,” she says. She is very happy with her choice of Jenners Commons. “I like the singe level buildings and the whole master plan of the Commons,” she states. Hernandez, who will celebrate her one-year business anniversary in a month, says business is excellent. “I basically started from scratch, and was open three days a week at the beginning.” Her practice, which focuses on technology use, is now open five days a week and offers early morning and evening hours.

Hernandez is very happy with her neighboring tenants. Her young daughter is a patient at Kids First and her staff patronizes several businesses in the center. Kelly Ford, owner of The Growing Place, a childcare and preschool, has been open in Jenners Commons for just over six months and is already filled with 70 children registered. Ford, who previously ran a childcare facility out of her home fir two and a half years is thrilled to “have my house back,” she exclaims. A Nottingham resident, Ford is very happy with the location she chose for The Growing Place. “When I found this opportunity to be right across the parking lot from a great pediatrician group, I was ecstatic!”

She estimates that 70% of her current registrations are a direct result of the Kids First. “Mothers bring their kids to the doctor and see us,” she explains. “We all bounce business off one another,” explains Ford. Her staff is frequent customers at the other businesses just as the other businesses have staff that sends their children to The Growing Place for childcare.

Ford is very happy with Jenners Commons suites. “It has a nice village feel,” she says. “Plus, I am so lucky to have 4,000 sq. ft. of play area outside!”

Jillian Grace Salon is the newest addition to the women-run businesses in Jenners Commons. “I just love this shopping center; the core businesses are perfect,” exudes owner Jillian Tuskweth.

Pregnant with her first child, she is already registered at The Growing Place and some of her employees use the childcare facility as well. “I chose Jenners Commons for the location, and because I liked the elegant but cute look.”

Two more suites remain available at Jenners Commons. Will the trend of women-run businesses continue, or will a bold man join this great group of businesses that work well together and share customers?

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