Electrolysis and more on Peruville Road 

The last time I had my hair trimmed at a salon in Ithaca, the customer in the next chair over was asking her stylist whether she knew where electrolysis was available. Admittedly, though I had heard of such a thing, I really didn’t know what it was, but I did know that I have noticed AfterImage Electrolysis right here in Groton.

I had admired the well-landscaped parking lot and its lovely nighttime lighting every time I drove by it on Peruville Road. I was glad to tell those ladies of its existence.

That conversation reminded me that I had met Jill Bush, the owner of AfterImage Electrolysis, more than a year earlier at a school function, which led me to contact her to assuage my curiosity about what electrolysis is and how the business came to exist on a rural road in Groton.

As it turns out, Jill’s husband, Gary Bush, also operates his business, SPEC Consulting, in the same building, so it was very nice to learn about two Groton entrepreneurs at the same time.

Jill and Gary purchased what was once a spacious residential home at 838 Peruville Rd. in 2017 after both had been renting office space in three separate locations. Gary was based in Ithaca, and Jill had offices in Ithaca and Cortland.

Both were hesitant about leaving the cities to opt for a rural setting, but when they considered the location was halfway between both, was on a main thoroughfare and would ultimately save them a great deal of rent money, they decided to take the plunge. Neither regret it.

Gary runs SPEC Consulting, which is a structural engineering and architecture firm, along with three employees, in the upstairs of the house. And Jill performs electrolysis on the lower level.

Gary grew up in Lansing and is a 1989 graduate of Lansing High School. He went on to earn a degree in mechanical engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology and then his professional engineering license in structural engineering. The focus of SPEC Consulting is primarily residential design.

“Gary does everything from renovations to full new house design,” Jill said. “He takes on the role of project manager at every job and stops in frequently to make sure things are being done correctly, and because of that, he has earned a great reputation in the community.”

Jill was born in Oklahoma because her father was in the Army, but he became a factory line mechanic when his tour was over, working at John Deere, Borden Ice Cream and Pepsi. The samples he brought home made Jill very popular when she attended Cicero Elementary School and middle and high school in Mexico, New York.

After graduating from Mexico in 1992, Jill earned her bachelor’s in biology at SUNY Cortland in 1996.

Both Gary and Jill worked at Pall Trinity in Cortland after college, became friends, and eventually dated and married. They are very proud of their family of boys: Gage, age 28; Reid, 25; Drew, 15 and currently a freshman at Groton High School (GHS); and Ross, 13 and in seventh grade at GHS.

Jill’s journey from working full time in the chemistry lab at Pall to becoming a certified electrologist began when she had her own unwanted upper lip hair removed at Nancy Lorenzini’s About Face Electrolysis in Ithaca around 2004. Lorenzini saw something in Jill and asked her to consider doing what she did.

Though Jill was still working full time, she adjusted her schedule to attend a three-month course at Continental School of Beauty in Olean, New York, and earned her certification.

“I felt like Nancy handed me the opportunity on a silver platter,” Jill said. “She gave me all the information on the school and mentored me in her office for a month or so, and I was able to open my own business for the first time on Aug. 2, 2005.”

Jill explained to me how electrolysis works. She showed me the tiny probes that slide into each individual hair follicle, which then electrically heat the water in the hair follicle, cauterizing its blood supply.

Hair follicles need to be treated a number of times — depending on the size, how deep they are and how sensitive the skin is to finalize the process — and electrolysis can be successful with any hair color or skin tone, and is the only permanent hair removal process in existence.

Jill can work on anyone who is 18 and older and can remove anything from one hair to dense areas of hair on the face or body. She is open for business from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, following all CDC guidelines.

“I love how private my office location is for my clients, and even more so in these COVID times,” Jill said. “I have plenty of time to clean and sanitize between clients, and they can feel comfortable in the waiting room with no one else close by.”

Jill said she offers free consultations and that the whole process is budget-friendly and safe. She is quite proud of the pre-sterilized and disposable needles she uses and her state-of-the-art digitally programmed electrolysis machine.

For those interested in learning more, visit AfterImageElectrolysis.com or call (607) 793-4104.

Groton on the Inside appears weekly. Submit news ideas to Linda Competillo, lmc10@cornell.edu or (607) 227-4922. 

In brief:
 
National Day of Prayer

National Day of Prayer services in Groton will be held May 6 at noon at the Terrence Graves Memorial on Main Street and at 6:30 p.m. at Groton Assembly of God, 701 S. Main St. All are welcome to attend.

Cruise to the chicken barbecue 

The Groton Cruisers Car Club annual chicken barbecue will take place at the C.R. Pavilion on Main Street beginning at 9 a.m. May 8. The $8 dinner includes a half chicken, bag of chips and dinner roll. Drive-thru only. All proceeds will benefit The Groton Cruisers Car Club Scholarship Fund.

Groton Youth Services Programs 

Groton Youth Services, in partnership with Rural Youth Services of Cornell Cooperative Extension, which is funded by the United Way, the Tompkins County Youth Services Department, and the town and village of Groton, announces its spring programming.

Dance Lessons with Camille, 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Thursdays, May 6 through 10 with a recital June 13 at 7 p.m. Grade three and up at the Tritown Masonic Lodge, 301 Main St. Camille teaches basic and advanced dance techniques. This program welcomes anyone to join, no previous dance experience required!

Hike and Birdwatch the Groton Hiking Trail, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Fridays, May 7 through 28. Grade four and up. Bring your binoculars or borrow ours, get some exercise and find and identify our native bird species. This program will begin and end at Groton Memorial Park on Sykes Street and will be held on the hiking trail for most of the time.

Colorful Cooking, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, May 12 through 26, grade four and up at the Tritown Masonic Lodge. Learn to prepare new recipes, honing skills in the kitchen and learning about different foods. Sampling is a must, so bring your apron and your appetite!

Register at https://t.ly/q0Iq. Registration ends May 28. For more information, contact Nick Wagner, program manager, at
nw346@cornell.edu.