Monday, April 29, 2024
As the new year brings new resolutions, new hope and new beginnings, Hood County residents can now take their “new year, new me” mantra a step further by getting a physical transformation at Granbury’s newest business.
The Cheeky Peach Wax Studio & Esthetics located at 1509 W. Pearl St. can provide customers with a full makeover — complete with full body waxing, facials, brow tints, lash tints, lash extensions, brow laminations and a variety of hair services.
But customers won’t be the only ones making changes for the new year.
Even though she officially opened her new business recently, owner Billie Watson revealed to the HCN this isn’t her first career.
For seven years, Watson served as a middle school math teacher for Fort Worth ISD and then, for the last six years of her career, she worked as a gifted and talented teacher for elementary school students in the same district.
“I was a teacher for 13 years and last year, in May 2023, I left teaching to go to esthetician school,” Watson said. “It’s just something I’ve been interested in for a while and the stars aligned.”
Filled with a new burst of passion upon graduating from esthetician school in September, Watson landed a job working at The Hairless Cat Wax Studio & Salon in Granbury doing Brazilian waxing. However, it wasn’t long before Watson was told The Hairless Cat would be closing Dec. 1.
"I was like ‘Well, if she's closing down then there's not another wax studio here,’ so I thought ‘Let's just open up our own place,’ and here we are,” Watson said. “I had my last day of work Dec. 1, and then I got the keys to this place Dec. 8 and just got to work. My grand opening was Jan. 2, and (Jan. 3 was) my first day of business.”
Since Watson was previously employed at The Hairless Cat — a name that always drew several snickers and chuckles — she decided to also have a unique and quirky name for her new business as well.
"I was trying to think of other terms for female anatomy and ‘peach’ just kind of came up," she said, chuckling. “I like snarky, funny things, so, you know, being ‘cheeky,’ so I thought, ‘Well, that's kind of a play on words,’ because we do your cheeks, and we also (remove) the peach fuzz on your face. I felt like there was a lot to do with that name; I just thought it was funny and cute.”
Although Watson plans to offer several services at The Cheeky Peach, she said she wants to market her new business as mainly a wax studio.
"I've heard there's one other person that will do intimate waxing here in Granbury, but now that the wax studio that I worked at is closed, I think this is the only ‘wax-like’ place that blatantly offers it,” she said.
While Watson will be serving as the main esthetician for The Cheeky Peach, Emily Barton will serve as a second esthetician, and Kirstie Leslie will serve as a hairstylist.
"I will be getting a couple hairstylists in here as well because there's a whole salon area,” she said. “I don't do hair, like I'm not trying to do that here, but there are people here who will (provide that service).”
One unique aspect that sets The Cheeky Peach apart from other waxing studios, Watson said, is its “relaxed atmosphere,” and her “easygoing” personality.
“I like to have fun,” she said. “I’ve worked really hard to make this place a pretty comfortable, relaxed environment.”
At this point in time, Watson said The Cheeky Peach’s hours of operation will not be set in stone, as she wants to figure out her client base and their availabilities first.
"Honestly, I live eight minutes away, and my thought was, ‘I kind of want to be available all day, every day,’ for a while just until I figure out what the patterns are out here,” Watson said. “I mean, a lot of spas are only open during business hours when people work. As a person who worked a normal business hour job for years, it sucks whenever you're off and now everything's closed.”
She said she hopes to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. most days and explained she will figure out a more permanent schedule down the road.
"Obviously, I'll get it all figured out, but for now it's like, I kind of want to start paying myself back,” Watson said. “I'll do whenever — just tell me a time and I'll be here."
To set up an appointment at The Cheeky Peach Wax Studio & Esthetics, message Watson through her business page on Facebook.
"I've never been a business owner,” she added. “This is something I've always wanted to do but was scared, so I'm excited to see how the fruits of my labor pay off. As a teacher, it doesn't matter how hard you work, you get paid the same, so I'm excited to see what I can accomplish by just putting forth all my effort."
