After working with others for years, Heather Jeselskis-Swift said she decided to go out on her own, opening Proper Cuts barbershop last month in the Marketplace Mall at 675 Main St. in Lewiston.

Last year, she was part of Judy & Heather’s Barbershop on Sabattus Street. She’d been at Marcel’s Barber Shop in Auburn for five years before that.

“Men’s cuts is my specialty, but I do women’s cuts, perms, colors, waxing — I do everything,” Jeselskis-Swift said. “I’m a licensed cosmetologist, but I prefer to work in the barbering field.”

She lives in Lewiston and has two daughters, and going solo is going great so far.

“I’m meeting all kinds of new faces, people referred by other customers,” she said. “I’m finding lots of ways to cater to my customers. I do hot towels and straight razor shaves on the back of the neck, to kind of give a little treatment to the gentlemen because they deserve it, too.”

Jeselskis-Swift may hire someone part time in the future, potentially doing nails or massage.

“I know a lot of men, they want to get their feet done, but they’re embarrassed to go into a nail salon,” she said.

This story originally was published as part of “The Buzz: Lewiston OKs new Main Street Dunkin’.” Have a Buzzable tip? Contact staff writer Kathryn Skelton at 689-2844 or kskelton@sunjournal.com.