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Despite pandemic, woman opens dream business in Huntersville

Owner Jamie Svay says she's doing everything possible to keep her new business going, including putting her husband and son to work.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The pandemic has put a lot of small businesses out of business but one local woman managed to keep her dream of opening a new business alive thanks to a lot of help from her family and a side hustle that still pays the bills.

“It’s been an interesting time definitely,” said Jamie Svay.

Svay had always dreamed of owning her own spa but when she started construction in January on Idolize Brows and Beauty in Huntersville she had no idea what was to come.

“I’m not gonna lie if I had a crystal ball to show me there will be a pandemic I would have been like, uh…but since we’d already signed the deal at all this point it was like can’t turn around now.”

Construction slowed and with state restrictions, the opening was delayed, but she recruited her son and husband to help run things and together she says the family is making it work.

“You sound like a small business success story? Were trying! I don’t want to sugarcoat anything it is definitely hard.”

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She says business is steady but she’d like to see it increase – when it’s safe for her staff and customers. Svay is a well-known makeup artist in Charlotte and she is holding on to her day job to help pay the bills.

“It definitely feels surreal. There were moments I didn’t think this was gonna happen. I didn’t think this dream was gonna come true.”

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