MANSFIELD — Adaija Perry was glowing, but it wasn’t from a deluxe facial or flawless makeup job.
It was simply joy. The Mansfield woman had made her dream come true.
Perry, a 2015 graduate of St. Peter’s School, celebrated the grand opening of Selah Beauty Spa on Saturday with a small crowd of supporters by her side.
The new beauty spa is located at 787 Park Avenue West. Services include relaxation massages and facials, waxing and threading services and eye-brow tints. Makeup services will be added in the near future. Perry also sells a limited selection of products from Black-owned businesses inside the shop.
“Eventually, I plan to hire maybe a couple of employees, but right now it’s just me until I get established,” she said.
Perry described her business as “God-backed.” The name Selah comes from a Hebrew word used often in the biblical book of Psalms.
“It means pause and praise,” Perry explained. “That is something that I have learned that I need to do, so I wanted to incorporate that into my spa.”
Perry said she wants Selah to make self-care affordable. Her ultimate goal is that every client leaves feeling uplifted and inspired.
“It embodies the overall experience — peace, relaxation, self-care, self-love, all of those things,” she said. “That’s what I aspire for every client who comes in, to leave relaxed.”
Local officials thanked Perry for her investment in the community.
“Adaija’s been in the Chamber several times over the past few weeks telling us her vision for what she’s doing here and I think it’s really exciting,” said Jodie Perry, executive director of the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce.
City council members Stephanie Zader and Aurelio Diaz were also present for the grand opening.
“I’m excited for another Black-owned, woman-owned business in Mansfield,” said Diaz, a fifth ward councilman, generating cheers from the crowd. “I think that people don’t give our city enough credit for the lush culture that we have, the diversity, so thank you for contributing.”
Perry graduated from the Elite School of Cosmetology in Ashland in October, passed her state boards in November and immediately began working at a local spa. Then she heard about an available commercial space from a client.
Perry’s cosmetology classmates Damilla Owens and Imani Stephens said she immediately had a clear vision for the space.
“She did this all by herself and watching the transformation has been amazing,” Stephens said. “We say things, but to actually bring it to life … She said something and then she made it happen.”
Perry’s advice to other would-be business owners is simple — if you have an idea, chase it.
“Do it. Don’t wait. The time is now,” she said. “It’s never going to be the perfect time. There’s always going to be something that like gets in the way. But once you do it and you see your dream come to fruition, it’s such an amazing feeling.
Selah Beauty Spa will begin serving customers on July 5. The business is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To book an appointment, visit the business’ Facebook or Instagram page.
