Studio Vogue is a new business in an old Gardnerville house that was home to the Fritz Bohlman family more than 100 years ago.
Within more recent memory it was Dr. James Black's chiropractic office, the House of Orange antique store and probably the home to a friendly ghost.
Kathie Jarboe, owner of Studio Vogue salon, said Black asked if she had encountered the ghost.
"Dr. Black said they put the shades down at night and they were open in the morning so they assumed it was a ghost," Jarboe said.
Black said the ghost disappeared after the addition of two cats, but Jarboe said something seemed to be blowing bubbles in the paint during her renovation of the house.
In spite of encountering what could be a ghost, Jarboe said, "It's a neat old house and our ghost likes us."
With the hard work of family and friends for more than two months, the old house has a new look and is ready to accommodate the salon.
Jarboe said she and Nicolette Begovich, her friend and coworker of 16 years, shared a goal.
"We wanted to have a place that specialized is customer service and cleanliness," Jarboe said.
"My goal is not to be the fanciest or highest-priced place - I want to be talked about as the nice place to go."
Studio Vogue is home to three full-time stylists and a nail technician with one more stylist coming this month.
"Upstairs we have two more bedrooms so I hope to have a masseuse or an aesthetician in the future," Jarboe said.
Jarboe said her styling repertoire includes color foil weaving and that the Studio Vogue people are a diverse group offering a variety of services.
Begovich's specialty is color correction, or weaving, and said she likes how the new salon turned out.
"I'm going to stay put in this place," she said. "It's so homey and wonderful."
Besides what Jarboe calls the best pedicure she's ever seen, Darlene Murdock does sculpted pink and white manicures.
"Color acrylic, glitter gel toes - we do it all," Murdock said.
Stylist Yrma Bondio said she likes all aspects of doing hair.
"It's fun - I've done it for 35 years," she said.
Bondio said the light that comes in from the many windows of the old house helps when it comes to seeing hair color in its true light.
"The natural light in here is just great," she said. "Colors are more true than in fluorescent light. This house is elegant - I feel good about walking in the door."
Studio Vogue is at 1495 Highway 395 in Gardnerville. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, evenings and weekends by appointment.
For more information, call 783-1469.
What: Studio Vogue
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, evenings and weekends by appointment
Where: 1495 Highway 395, Gardnerville
Info: 783-1469
