Geogia BIOS:  The Orchid Beauty Shop   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   0001
   
   [?]
   
   Feb.I-I9I9
   
   [Finished?], Feb. 6-[39?]
   
   The Orchid Beauty Shop
   
   I44 1/2 Clayton Street
   
   Athens,Georgia.
   
   Where Beauty is Assured.
   
   Owned by Miss [Farrie Emerick?] and Miss Edna Seagraves.
   
   When I opened the door of the Orchid Beauty Shop. I was greeted by the
   [DEL: [?] :DEL] two [operators?] in their freshly laundered orchid
   uniforms, with a cheerful " Good morning,[?] what can we do for you?.
   
   I explained my visit, [and?] asked if they would be kind enough to
   tell something about their business and and how they run their shop?
   They answered with a [DEL: pleasent :DEL] pleasant grin, and said,
   business has 'Gone With the Wind.' But we will tell you about our
   shop. [DEL: But :DEL] stay around with us for a while and you will see
   how the day of a beauty operator goes.
   
   WE open at nine A.M. [and?] close at five thirty, except on Mondays
   and Friday evenings, when we stay open late for the benefit of the
   girls that work and can't get here during the day. Andwe are usually
   very busy on these evenings, for we have a good many customers among
   the business girls.
   
   Our work is not so easy as most people think it is, # for it keeps you
   [on?] your feet all day, # except for the time that it takes to give a
   manicure. Yet we like our work, # for we meet so many new people, # as
   well as our regular customer. And we do have such nice customers [!#?]
   it is a pleasure to wait on them. # We each have our special customers
   that call for us, but if either of us are busy and they run in without
   an appointment, they are good sports, and will let the first that can
   get to them do the work.
   
   And we have customers from out of town also, in fact we get a good
   business from the small towns. # We like our customers [and?]
   appreciate them. [?] when they keep coming back to us, [#?] then we
   feel like that we have been able to please them. And we also have
   quite [a?] few men among our customers, # for more [men?] patronize
   the beauty shops than you would think. All of our customers 00022seem
   to like our shop, # and come to see us, # even if they don't need any
   [?] work done. And one, # the daughter of a banker [DEL: sayss :DEL]
   says that when she opens the door of our shop that it is just like
   coming into a friendly home.
   
   The door opened, # and a girl came in saying, # did you ever know me
   to be on time, # I am late as [?] usual and in a hurry to catch the
   bus to Atlanta, [#?] as I am going home today. Can you fix me in time?
   " A Assuring her that she would be ready in plenty of time,one of the
   operators started to getting her ready for a shampoo,# set and
   manicure.
   
   As she [washed?] her head, [#?] they carried on a friendly
   conversation. And the other operator said # " how do you like our
   color scheme in our shop? I looked around the shop [and?] noticing
   that the dressing tables [DEL: and :DEL] chairs [cabinets?] , as well
   as cushions were all done in orchid and black. It was lovely and I
   said so, and asked here what gave them the idea for that color scheme?
   
   She laughed and said, "well I [hardly?] know or remember now, But back
   in the first of [I933?] when I was planing for a shop of my own, I
   decided that I would use these colors. I went to Molors Beauty College
   in Atlanta Ga. After finishing the course there, I went to Thomaston
   Ga. and run a shop for a woman there over a year. Then the death of my
   step-mother brought me home.
   
   "After that I was needed at home, [#?] and could not go back to my
   work. I worked [at?] home giving shampoos, finger waves [?] [and?]
   some permanents waves, I had an old machine. Then one of my friends
   completed [a?] [#?] beauty course, [and?] we decided to open a shop of
   our own. We rented this place, or at least [?] [DEL: [od?] :DEL] [of?]
   it, for $I0. a month.
   
   "Neither of , us had any money, [#?] and it was a job to plan to go in
   business. My brother is a [cabinetmaker?], [#?] and he make our
   tables, [#?] chairs, [#?] supply cabinets as well [?] as our display
   cabinets. We did the painting ourselves. [and?] how we worked to get
   things just as we wanted them [DEL: . :DEL] ! But as I have all ways
   heard, # where there is a will, # there is a way,# and even before we
   were [ready?] 00033for our formal[,?] opening, [DEL: mu :DEL] my
   customers that I had been waiting on, were coming to the shop
   [begging?] us to do their work.
   
   "It was on May the fourth, [#?] I933, [#?] that we had our formal
   opening. We did no work on that day, just [#?] intertained our
   friends, [#?] and served ice cream and cake. She laughed and said,
   [#?] "and it was what you call home-made at that, [#?] for we baked
   the cakes, [#?] made the cream, [#?] and of course the furniture was
   made by my brother. But we are still using them, [#?] and they look as
   well as you will find in any beauty shop.
   
   " Our other equipment consisted of one old shampoo outfit, [#?] an old
   model dryer, [#?] and my old permanent waving machine. We borrowed
   fifty dollars to make a payment down on a new machine, but of course
   it did not get here in time for our formal opening. Our friends
   remembered us with flowers, every table, [#?] windows, [#?] and most
   of the floor space was filled with baskets and vases of the most
   gorgeous spring flowers. It was a happy day for us.
   
   " Oh, how [id?] we decide on the name? Well a salesman did that. He
   was in getting orders for our supplies, [#?] while we [DEL: was :DEL]
   were painting, [#?] and he gave us many suggestions that were of a
   great help to us, [#?] as well as the name for our shop[.?] we were
   discussing a name, [#?] and he said, [#?] "with your color scheme,
   [#?] I can't see how you can very well call it anything else except,
   The Orchid Shop, [#?] so he was the one that realy named it.
   
   "It was a hard pull for us, [#?] for we had so , many expenses, [#?]
   and of course we also had to live on what what we made. But we
   [worked?] hard, [#?] built up a good trade, [#?] and in December of
   the same year, [#?] we had to have another operator. And that is when
   Miss Richards came with us. [#?] And she has been here since that
   time. She bought an interest in the shop, [#?] and the three of us
   owned it together. And you want to know how we managed about the
   salary? well, there [DEL: was :DEL] [?] three of us. [#?] we [DEL:
   [devided?] :DEL] [divided?] the money in fourths [#?] [DEL: the :DEL]
   [?] fourth was for the shop. [#?] And the other for us. Some times we
   had to put more in for the shop, [#?] but we [DEL: [devided?] :DEL]
   [divided?] our salary even between us. [DEL: "But now we have a very
   modern shop equiped :DEL]
   
   00044
   
   "But now we have a very modern shop, [#?] equiped with all the very
   latest equipment. We traded in all of the old machines for new ones,
   and we keep up with the new equipments, [#?] as well as attend all the
   beauty show, [#?] for that is something that is necessary to keep up
   with the new ideas and different styles in our line of work. Miss
   Richards and I own the shop now, as the girl [that?] went in with me
   at the beginning, [#?] has married and left town the first of this
   year. We bought out her part of the shop. [#?] yes , we realy miss
   her, [#?] but as business is dull now we are able to manage without
   [DEL: haveing :DEL] having any one else at the present time.
   
   Two more customers came in, and she excused herself to wait on
   [them?]. The telephone was continuously ringing [.#?] [DEL: it was
   :DEL] customers [??] making appointments for the week end,[#?] and
   especially for Friday evening. As I looked around the shop from where
   I was sitting a very comfortable chair near the circulating heater
   which furnished the [?] for the shop, [#?] and made it very
   comfortable.
   
   The reception room was *1 furnished [very simple*1], but comfortable,
   [#?] an overstuffed [settee?] took up one side of the room, and the
   telephone sit on a small table at one end [of?] the [settee?]. By the
   large Double windows was the very modern manicure table on rollers,
   [#?] so that it can be be rolled over to the dryers, [DEL: then :DEL]
   [?] the customers [DEL: can :DEL] [?] get their manicure , while their
   hair is drying [DEL: and saves time on them :DEL] . [DEL: The dryers
   are of :DEL] [DEL: the :DEL] The latest type of Hoffman dryers with
   comfortable [DEL: arm chairs under each [????] :DEL] ARM CHAIRS under
   each dryer [??]. At one side is a magazine rack with all the [?] [DEL:
   latest :DEL] [?] papers and [DEL: magaxines :DEL] magazines in it. The
   reception room is [DEL: seperated :DEL] separated from the other room
   by an archway, and I had a good [DEL: veiw :DEL] view of the room, It
   contained three [dressing?] tables; two of them were placed
   together,and a long [DEL: mirrow :DEL] mirror went over both of the
   tables. By the [DEL: [?] :DEL] [?] windows was a small table with a
   radio on it. At the other table was a large regular barber chair for
   cutting hair.
   
   00055
   
   The Shampoo basin and [?] comfortable reclining chair, [#?] was at one
   side of the room. On one side of it was a table of shampoo solutions
   and [rinses?] also a small cabinet for [DEL: [twoels] :DEL] [towels?].
   On the other side was a large cabinet with towels and shampoo aprons.
   On the top of it was bottles of finger waving solutions. It was all
   very clean and attractive. The permanent waving machine was in one
   corner of the room, [#?] also a small dryer.
   
   The two dressing table with the large [DEL: mirrow :DEL] mirro, had
   small shelves on e each side [#?] these were filled with the different
   kinds of cosmetics that are used in their work. There [DEL: was :DEL]
   [?] also curling irons that are used for [marcel?] waves. Everything
   was placed where it was convenient for operators, [#?] as well as the
   customers.
   
   The girl [DEL: that :DEL] [?] was in a hurry to get [DEL: her :DEL]
   [?] bus out of town, came and [DEL: sit :DEL] sat down near me, and
   said[,?] She still had a few minutes and [DEL: she :DEL] would cool
   off a little before she went out in the cold. I do like to come here,
   they are so nice and friendly with every one. And then to they do such
   grand work. I fell like that I am just right when they get through
   with me. But I must get out or I will miss my bus, [#?] telling the
   operators good bye, [#?] and thanking them for their good wishes for a
   very [DEL: pleasent :DEL] pleasant visit, she was gone.
   
   As they fixed the last two customers under the dryers, [#?] the door
   opened and a woman came in, with one arm in a sling. They seemed very
   happy to see her, [#?] and as they removed her coat and hat for her,
   told her how they had missed her, [#?] and were so glad that was able
   to be out again. She was early for her appointment, [#?] and said she
   wanted to rest for a while. The pulled a chair near the heater, and
   placed a cushion for her arm to rest on before they went back to their
   other customers.
   
   They customer said to me, [?] "Aren't they nice, but then they are
   nice to every one. Why we can send our children down here and never
   worry about how they will get the work done. For they can do more with
   the children 00066especially in giving them a permanent, [#?] than we
   can, and the children all like them.
   
   The two ladies were out from under the dryers, [#?] and after their
   hair had been combed for them they went out. A very young girl,
   dressed in a dark wine colored suit came in. She didn't have an
   appointment, but wanted to know [if?] they could give her a shampoo,
   set, and manicure, as she had to go to a party that evening.
   
   They told her that they could, and one if them gave her a shampoo,
   while the other one gave the woman with a broken arm a hot oil
   treatment. [A?] they was busy with them a woman came in and told them
   that she was expecting her son to meet her there after school, and she
   had some more shopping to do, [and?] if he came before she got back,
   [#?] to tell him to wait on her.
   
   As the young girl was placed under the dryer, [#?] the manicure table
   was rolled in front of her, [#?] and by the time her hair was [dry?],
   [?] the manicure was finished, and she was ready to [go?]. The other
   customer was given a manicure while she was under the dryer also, and
   they used great care in working on the hand on the arm that was
   broken. As she went out they said, [?] "how about lunch? Will you eat
   with us [?] we fix our lunch here in the shop. They laughed as I
   looked around, and [DEL: siad :DEL] said, come on we have another room
   that you haven't seen yet. "
   
   They opened a door at one side of their work room, and we went in
   another large room. It was also done in orchid and black. It was
   another work room, as they called it. [It?] Had a shampoo basin, [#?]
   [dressing?] table and permanent waving machine. Also two large supply
   cabinets, [#? also one for their uniforms. As they [opened?] up these
   cabinets to show them to me, [#?] one was for solutions for their
   waves, [#?] as well as the pads that were used with it.
   
   There supplies of every kind [DEL: that is :DEL] used in their work.
   And in 00077side of one of the cabinets, [#?] was a few dishes, [#?]
   pans, [#?] percolator, [#?] caned goods, crackers, [#?] bread, [#?]
   and things that would be easy to fix a lunch. And on a [DEL: smal
   :DEL] small table was [an?] electric plate and grill. I asked if I
   might get some [DEL: [?] :DEL] thing for the lunch also. They
   hesitated, [#?] and then said, well we would [DEL: [?] :DEL] like for
   you to just eat with us, but if you [DEL: [???] :DEL] had rather it
   will be [DEL: alright :DEL] [?].
   
   We [DEL: planed :DEL] planned what we were going to have. I went out
   and bought some [DEL: barbecue :DEL] barbecued meat. they made coffee,
   [DEL: fixed :DEL] [heated?] soup and toasted bread. When I got back
   with the meat they had [DEL: fixed :DEL] [?] a table near the fire,
   [#?] and every thing was ready. They didn't have any appointments for
   an hour, [#?] and as we ate our lunch, [#?] they talked about their
   work and their homes.
   
   One of them said [#?] "we [do?] have such nice [DEL: customers :DEL]
   cutomers, [#?] and we try to be nice to them, [#?] and we will not use
   anything on them that we would not use on our ownselves. Some of the
   cheap solutions we do not have in our shop. [#?] We guarantee all of
   our work [#?] and to do this we have to know what we are using. [DEL:
   Therfore :DEL] Therefore we use only the best. Oh, yes ! [#?] We have
   had to turn down work [#?] on that account. But we will not give a
   cheap [DEL: wave :DEL] permanent. Some times it is alright, [#?] and
   then again it is not, [#?] and the hair will be ruined. It just does
   not pay.
   
   At first some of our customers could not understand this, [#?] but
   [DEL: [?] :DEL] after they tried the cheap work, [#?] and then our
   work, [#?] they didn't want any more of the cheap waves. And we have
   built up our business on our work. Our out - of - town customers [DEL:
   that come to us[,?] :DEL] are nice, [#?] they also want the best, and
   hardly a week passes that we do not have an invitation out to some of
   their [dances?] or parties. And when it is possible we accept these
   invitations for we [DEL: realy :DEL] really enjoy them.
   
   We both have to work hard, [#?] for we have to help support our [DEL:
   familie :DEL] families. My [DEL: Fathers :DEL] Father's health is bad,
   [#?] and I have my sister and her little girl to [DEL: [?] :DEL] help.
   I hope to be able to send her through school. I went through
   00088[?????? ??] high school and then had to go to work. But My [DEL:
   Daddy :DEL] father sent all of us, [#?] my sister [and?] three
   brothers through high school, [#?] and I hope that I can at least [#?]
   do that much for my little [DEL: neice :DEL] niece. Her mother keeps
   house for us and looks after our Dad. But I have a very pleasent home,
   and we have our friends in for cards and dinner. And when I am at home
   in the day time I like to work in our flowers, [#?] for I like flowers
   of all kinds, and then it is not any trouble to get away for a day on
   Sundays in the car. And we very often do that.
   
   Miss Richards has [lost her?] Father, [#?] and she and her brother are
   [DEL: tryin :DEL] trying to send their younger brothers through
   school. So you see we have our obligations to meet. But we very often
   go to a movie after we close the shop or play cards with our friends
   and some times with our customers. And our shop hours are such that we
   can get away for the week [#?] end in our car, and be back in time for
   work on Monday morning .
   
   But the past month has been the worst on that we have had since we
   have been in business. Of course it is always dull right after [DEL:
   [?] :DEL] Christmas, [#?] but never so bad as the past month. Our
   busiest times are, just before Easter, [#?] for the ladies must have
   thier hair fixes for the new [DEL: Easte :DEL] Easter bonnet. And fall
   of the year is good. [#?] But the last week before [DEL: Christma
   :DEL] Christmas is when we are rushed to death.
   
   We also get quiet a bit of work form the school girls when they are
   planing for their dances and entertainments. And especially during the
   summer,for there is always something being planed for the summer
   school girls. But business is not what it use to be.One thing is
   because there [are?] so many beauty shops here. Athens is not large
   enough to [DEL: suppor :DEL] support them all. Yet I guess we do
   fairly well considering the dull season and so many shops, [#?]
   besides the operators that do this work in their homes.
   
   We try to keep our prices in range with the other shops. But what
   hurts the shops, [DEL: are :DEL] is the operators in their homes. They
   do not have 00099the overhead expenses of a shop, and therefore can do
   the work so much cheaper than we can. And of course that helps the
   people that do not feell like they can go to a beauty shop.
   
   Most of our work is done a cash basis, [?] but we have our charge
   [DEL: accoun :DEL] account for some of our regular customers, [#?] and
   it is not often that we lose any thing in this way. But we have lost a
   little[.?] that way. We have a good line of cosmetics that we can
   recommend to our customers, [#?] [and?] sell a great deal of it. But
   we do not recommend any that we would not use ourselves, [DEL: [?]
   :DEL] and our customers have confidence in what [we [DEL: recomend
   :DEL] recommend?].
   
   Yet after all, [#?] I guess we have made good with the start we had in
   the begining. For we [opened?] our shop on a credit, [#?] borrowing
   the money. And from just enough equipment for one booth, [#?] we have
   as you see three rooms well equipped with modern machines. Our rent
   has increased from the original $I0. to $25[.?] a month. Our gas,
   electricty , and water are reasonable for the amount that we use.
   
   WE have a maid that comes in and does the cleaning[,?] after she gets
   out of school. She is just a girl, [#?] but she is very smart, [and?]
   we hope later that we can keep her all the time. We only pay her a
   dollar a week, and some items more especially when she works all day
   on Saturday. But we help her with her clothes for school. She is well
   satisfied and wants to stay with us.
   
   As the old saying goes, [#?] we still count our pennies, for we put
   aside enough to take care of our shop, [#?] before we take any for
   ourselves. Of [DEL: [?] :DEL] course since there are only two of us,
   [#?] it will mean more each way. But when there [DEL: was :DEL] were
   three of us we seldom drew under $I6[.?] or $I8[.?] [DEL: dollars
   :DEL] ([????]) a week but some times it is less and some times it is
   more, but it all amounts to how much business we do. But as I said we
   still take care of the shop, and pay our bills promply.
   
   0010I0
   
   We do not belong to any Union, and if there is one here we have never
   heard of it, [#?] and we keep in touch with all the other shops.
   During the summer, [#?] we cooperate with the other shops and the
   stores, [#?] by closing one afternoon during the week. And when there
   was three of us, [#?] then we each took one day a week off during the
   dull season. This gave us a rest, [#?] and also a chance to [?] any
   work that we might want to do at home.
   
   And we will have to plan a little different this year for our
   vacations. We have each been taking two weeks off. But one [?] can't
   run the shop I guess we will have to just get some one to work while
   we take our vacations. But that is a long time off isn't it, [#?] and
   I guess that we had better get our dishes cleared up, [#?] for it is
   about time for appointments. And one of them is a young man.
   
   It did [not take?] long to get our dishes washed up and put away. I
   had [DEL: realy :DEL] really enjoyed the lunch and told them that I
   did. Miss Richards said, [?] we do this [DEL: very :DEL] often. [#?]
   of course when we are busy we [can't do] [DEL: this :DEL] [?]. But we
   enjoy it, [#?] and we are glad that you ate with us, [#?] instead of
   going out to lunch. Sometimes we have customers that like to eat with
   us. And they very often send us candy that they make, and some of our
   customers send us cakes, and they are delicious.
   
   The door opened and [a man?] came in. I thought it would be the man
   customer. But [it?] was a salesman from one of the supply houses. They
   asked him why he was late, [#?] that he should have been here two days
   before , that they couldn't wait, [#?] and had already ordered. He
   laughed [and?] said, " well I am sure the order went into our house
   just the same. [#?] For I know what you girls use, [#?] and we are the
   only people that carry the best. " They laughed but admitted the order
   went to his house. He talked a few [DEL: minute :DEL] minutes then
   thanking them for the order, He [went?] out.
   
   Miss Goss said , " he was right at that, [#?] we get what we think is
   our very best solution from him. But we also ge supplies from
   Atlanta,0011IIand South Carolina [?] [DEL: Also :DEL] . And there is
   hardly a day passes that we do not have a representive from one of the
   supply houses. It is not often that they let us have to send the order
   ourself. "
   
   As she finished talking two customers came in, [#?] and one of them
   was a man. I was very [DEL: anixous :DEL] anxious to see what work he
   would have done. He had a shampoo and manicure,and was [DEL: quiet
   :DEL] quite particular about a manicure. More so than any of the
   ladies had been especially about the polish. After he had left the
   other custoker made a comment on seeing a man in a beauty shop. The
   operators told her that they had several regular customers among the
   men.
   
   Everyone that [DEL: cmae :DEL] came in the shop seemed very much at
   home, [#?] and [DEL: [?] :DEL] there was a friendly conversation among
   them all. The lady came back to meet her son. He came in and showed
   his report card to them all. It was a very good report and he was
   congratulated on it. His mother said she was afraid [#?] that it
   wouldn't be so good this time, [#?] as he had lost so much time while
   he was sick. They went out to finish their [shooping?], leaving his
   books in the shop.
   
   The telephone rang[,?] [?] one of the operators answered , [#?] [DEL:
   and :DEL] [?] said, "I am sorry but I will not be able to take any
   more appointments for today. would you like to come tomorrow? " That
   was evidently agreeable, [#?] for she said, " [DEL: al :DEL] all [#?]
   right I will put you [down?] for [DEL: nine thirty :DEL] 9:30 in the
   morning. Turning to me she said I hated to [do that?] [#?] but we do
   not take more than we can take care of, [#?] and I don't feel that
   people like to sit around and wait. [#?] It is to tiresome. "
   
   As she waited for her customer to get her hair dried, [#?] she said,"
   we are going out to [a?] bridge party to night, [#?] and know that we
   will enjoy it. And this week end we are going out to an old country
   square dance. [?] You should go with us sometimes to one of these,
   [#?] for you would enjoy it. We work hard,but we also like to get out
   and enjoy life. And I think every 0012I2one should get a little
   pleasure as as work. "
   
   I knew that they would have no moretime for me, [#?] as it would keep
   them busy until it was time for them to close their shop. And I
   [thanked?] them for the story and for the pleasure of having lunch
   with them. Telling me [?] - bye they said come back to see us again.
   We have been glad to have you with us. "

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