Written by Justin Thompson
What started as Sydney Kennard’s side hustle is now undoubtedly the main event.
Kennard, who is the owner, head sugarist, and creative mind behind the Sugar Shack in downtown Bellville, got her start in the field while working behind the chair as a hair stylist and traveling bridal hair and makeup artist.
The job took her all over the state, and it kept her away from her husband and daughters.
“I wanted to be able to see my family more often, that was the biggest part of it,” Kennard said. “And being a mom and being gone most Fridays and Saturdays wasn’t ideal.”
When the time came for Kennard, who grew up in Bellville, to switch salons, she knew having another related skill would be helpful toward enticing her clients to follow her. That was about the time she discovered sugaring.
Sugaring, for the uninitiated, is a process by which hair is removed from the body using a mixture of sugar, water, and lemon juice. The process is a natural alternative to waxing, and invites better skin exfoliation and fewer ingrown hairs.
Kennard took to the practice quickly, and the customers took to her skill, gentle technique, and positive attitude. After a couple of years of sugaring on the side, she decided to officially open the Sugar Shack, the only salon between Columbus and Medina to offer sugaring hair removal.
Kennard explains, “while we offer sugaring head to toe, our focus is mastering Brazilians, which is our most popular service. That is a service that a lot of men and women want but they don’t know where to get a good one—we want people to know the Sugar Shack is the place to go.”
The customer benefits were immense and immediate.
Women began reaching out in the days following an appointment to rave about how much better their skin felt.
“Someone will text me afterward and say that the itchy skin they’ve struggled with for years cleared up within a few days of having their appointment,” Kennard said. “It’s a gratifying feeling to help someone feel comfortable in their skin.”
She soon had a core group of repeat customers with whom she shared more than just time and space in the studio.
Quickly, Kennard and her customers became confidants, willing ears, group text members, date night couple friends, and each other’s biggest cheerleaders in life.
“We’ve been the first people customers have told when they get engaged or become pregnant,” Kennard said. “They involve us in their life. They tell us about their milestones. And we get to share in those big moments with them. And I think that trumps any amount of money that we bring in as a business.”
The business has grown tremendously in just three years. Kennard hired and trained two more sugarists, Sara Cole and Amaya Copeland.
“I am so proud of the team I have. Both are amazing women and excellent sugarists.” Before, The Sugar Shack only serviced women a few days a week—now the additional staff has enabled the business to service both men and women six to seven days a week.
With growth comes change. And even as the business expands, Kennard hopes to cultivate the same welcoming, inclusive, and laid-back atmosphere that the Sugar Shack has become synonymous with.
“It’s a 100% judgment-free zone,” she said. “Women come in and they’re self-conscious about certain aspects of their body. And we just try to make everyone feel comfortable and cared for and valued when they’re here. We want our customers to look forward to coming in because we get to decompress together and have girl time.”
Looking ahead, Kennard has big goals for the Sugar Shack.
She would like to acquire a storefront with multiple treatment rooms, add more sugarists to her team and possibly expand into a second location if the space and situation are right.
If the success of the salon’s first three years can be replicated in the next three, those goals are well within reach.
But for now, Kennard is content knowing she’s built a successful business by putting people first and offering them community, conversation, and an important service close to home.
“It truly fills my cup,” she said. “Coming in and sharing those special moments with our customers is what it’s all about, and I’m looking forward to more years making great memories.”