BETHEL — New Root Cellar Beauty Salon owner Jennifer Cross, of Bethel said she will be, “rolling a perm going up Main Street.”

On Saturday her “salon” will be a float in Bethel’s Summerfest parade.

She’ll ride right past her actual salon at 57 Main St. that she purchased earlier this year. Debbie Brown had owned it for 12 years when Cross came on board as a hairstylist. Brown asked Cross on her very first day if she’d like to buy the business. Cross gave it some thought — then went for it.

“With everything I have been through I look at life a lot differently. I live right to the edge. I am a carefree, happy-go-lucky soul,” said Cross.

Condition

She explains that she has lived with ulcerative colitis since she was nine. Over the years she was prescribed various medications and endured many terrible flare ups. When older she had to wear diapers to work since she had no control over her bowels.

Finally six years ago a Portland doctor recommended he remove her large intestines. She was 28.

Following two surgeries, one eight hours long, Cross is now required to wear an ileostomy bag. “I’m not ashamed of it. I’ll have it for the rest of my life. If I didn’t have it, I wouldn’t be here. I am going to work and do hair until my body doesn’t let me,” she said defiantly.

Before Root Cellar

Cross gets excited as she talks about the many flowers she has added by the entrance to Root Cellar at the back of the building. Cross’ previous job was at SmartStyle Hair Salon inside Walmart in Gorham, N.H. “I didn’t have windows for 10 years,” says Cross, “Night and day.”

Besides Cross, there are four other beauticians at Root Cellar. Three are hair stylists: Debbie Brown, Debbie Luxton, and Cat Savage. Tina Roberge is a nail technician. Cross hopes to hire another stylist and Jasmine Wells, still in school, will job shadow her.

Cross has been styling hair for 15 years after studying at Empire Beauty School. She also works as a home health pediatric certified nursing assistant.

Contrasting hair styling with health care work, Cross says, “I am going to do hair until I die. This is my happy place … someone comes in my chair they sit down. I get to know them … [When they see themselves in the mirror] It is the best feeling – that I can make someone’s life happy for just that minute.”

Bethel roots

Cross fires off the names many of her Bethel relatives, “My grandmother was the Ethel Bisbee kindergarten school teacher. My grandfather and his brothers built Mt. Abram. Everyone thinks Jack Cross is my father. He’s not, he’s my uncle. My grandmother is Ruby Coolidge out on East Bethel [Road]. My grandfather is Phil Coolidge on my mother’s side. His brother owned Bob’s Corner Store…”

Cross grew up three streets from the salon. About her parents, she says, “my mother [a retired nurse] never left my side during both surgeries.” She goes fishing with her father every summer.

Working in Bethel again is nice, she said. Most of the 20 or so plants inside the salon were gifts from townspeople. At a grand re-opening in January, she’ll ask for plant clippings that she can propagate, too.

One day, out-of-stater Ver Bloomer sat in her chair for a haircut. He was a friend of a friend. She enjoyed her time with him. He went home to Virginia, but returned during the pandemic to be with Cross.

He gave her a ring, after she proposed to him.

Back in Bethel

When someone recently asked what profession she is in, Cross responded,  “I’m a salon owner. It felt so weird but so good at the same time,” she said, adding humbly, “I’m no different than anyone else. I’m very happy to be where I am because this is where my roots are.”

Said Cross, “One day I said to a client, I don’t know why God left me here. I can’t have children. We tried really hard for two years. … ”

Her client responded, “You’re here to make people feel beautiful.”

Root Cellar, 57 Main Street, Bethel is open seven days a week. Call for an appointment; walk-ins welcome, too.