New Glam Palace Opens on 49th Street South
By Laura Mulrooney
Studio 49 Salon and Spa hosted their grand opening Monday evening, January 27 at 2309 49th Street S. Previously Longhouse Yoga studio, the building stood vacant for a year. Owner and stylist Jennifer Gallo-Lee says she dedicated an immense amount of time to creating the perfect domain for beauty and relaxation.
“It was a lot of hard work, it was tough,” explained Gallo-Lee. “We painted, ripped up flooring and redid the lighting. It was pretty bad when we found it.”
Gallo-Lee moved to Florida from New York last year and quickly jumped head first into Gulfport’s welcoming community. “I fell in love with the community, it reminds me of a small town in a big county,” said Gallo-Lee. “I love it here, I’m really happy to be here.”
Gallo-Lee shares her space with four other beauty and relaxation specialists. In back, from left, are Anastasia Davis, therapeutic massage; Bobbi Redman, paramedical esthetician; Josie Huffman, nail and lash specialist; and Angela Kraft, stylist and potions master.
Studio 49 Salon and Spa can be reached at 727-800-6655 and via Facebook. Walk-ins are always welcomed along with well-behaved pups.
Zaiya ArtiZen Market is Official
By Laura Mulrooney
Thursday evening, January 23, friends, family, fellow merchants and residents joined Jill Rice, center, at her official ribbon cutting of Zaiya ArtiZen Market, at 3119 Beach Blvd. S.
“Every morning when I wake up, I am grateful to have found Gulfport,” said Rice. “This is a magical city and all of ya’ll are magical people. This is a dream come true.”
Zaiya, a combination of her grandchildren’s names, Aiyume, Zai and Aiya, “is a place where women are empowered to transform their own dreams into reality. It is an energetic space of community, support, and encouragement. It is a magical place of connection, fun and spiritual alchemy,” wrote Rice on her Facebook page.
The boutique is a space that hosts 10 different artists all with unique products. Shoppers will find a delightful range of goods such as tie dye clothing and silk scarves, photography, jewelry, ceramic sculptures, whimsical art from natural objects, natural soaps, CBD cream and essential oils.
Gulfport Merchant Chamber’s President Barbara Banno, right of Rice, felt especially sentimental that evening. “It feels like I’m passing the torch,” she said. Banno wished Rice the same amount of happiness and prosperity the location brought to her as owner of Stella’s restaurant.
Connecting with Clients is Key at Infinity Massage
By Debbie Wolfe
Our level of compassion, understanding and care” is what makes Infinity Massage unique said Christian Beach, owner and licensed massage therapist. “We don’t do it because it’s a job, we do it because it’s a passion.”
Beach and co-owner Duncan Alexander, who is also a licensed massage therapist, had a formal ribbon cutting at their new Gulfport-based business on Saturday, January 25 at 5702 Gulfport Blvd S., Suite 6.
“We followed our hearts, as cliché as that sounds, and ended up going to massage school together,” said Alexander.
The business will focus on connecting with and treating clients of all ages who are experiencing trauma and oncology issues, said Alexander. Methods offered will include neuromuscular therapy, deep tissue, Thai massage, paraffin wax treatments and four-hand massage where both therapists work in synergistic unison on one client.
Pictured in the waiting room of the new business are Beach, center front row, cutting the ribbon while Alexander, center back row, cheers him on. Members of the Gulfport Merchants Chamber, friends and colleagues of the owners are also pictured. Infinity Massage is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., by appointment. Saturday and in-home appointments are also available, as needed. For more information and to schedule a therapy session, visit infinitymassagetherapy.comor call 727-560-3485.
