Cosmetology School and Café to Open in Boardman

BOARDMAN, Ohio – A new cosmetology school and café are in the works at 819 Mckay Court in Boardman, both under the ownership of Diane Wentzel.

The cosmetology school, Le Jeane Academe, will open for enrollment in November with classes expected to begin in January. The café, Le Jeane Beane, will open Oct. 10.

Wentzel is no stranger to being a business owner — she’s owned Spa Le Jeane in Canfield for the past five years and remembers how opening a new business was difficult at times.

“I started it and I learned the hard way,” Wentzel said. “I learned from the ground up. I like to be fresh and innovative. I like to be cutting edge and different than anybody else that’s doing the same thing I’m doing.”

Her inspiration for opening another business, this time focused on training students in cosmetology, came from a desire to better prepare and train students to be work-ready in the cosmetology field.

“I wanted to open a school to train people the way I would expect them to be trained if they were coming to my spa to apply for a job,” Wentzel said.

She hopes to hire some of her cosmetology graduates in Boardman to work at her spa in Canfield after they complete training.

Wentzel’s biggest goal for the students is to achieve their Ohio State License at the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board. This is the accreditation the students need to be fully prepared for the field.

“We will be doing the 1500-hour cosmetology course and also the advanced 1800-hour cosmetology course, which is considered a managers course,” she said. “We will also offer an advanced nail technician and advanced esthetician courses.”

Esthetician courses cover training for massages, facials, makeup and tanning.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists is expected to increase 13% from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. While new workers entering the field should expect strong competition, most of the job openings will stem from existing workers transferring to other occupations, retiring or leaving the field for other reasons. In May 2017, the bureau reported that Ohio was among the states with the highest number of hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists at 16,890.

The cost of the 1500 cosmetology course is $19,690, while the 1800 course is $22,150. The advanced nail technician course is $4,350 and the advanced esthetics course is $13,350.

The hardest part of opening this new business for Wentzel was finding a location that was big enough for what she needed, but also within budget. The downstairs portion of her leased building is 8,200 square feet while the upstairs portion is 4,000 square feet.

“I was lucky to find this place, as it’s in a good, safe area for young girls to come to school,” Wentzel said. “For this big of a space and the cost for rent, it was very attractive to be only one street off from Route 224.”

The idea to open a café along with the cosmetology school came from another inspiration: her love for France. Wentzel regularly travels to France, and is even traveling there before the official opening of her facilities to learn how to make authentic French crepes.

The café will also serve coffee, soups, salads and sandwiches.

“I’ve always wanted to do a cute coffee shop, and I wanted to call it Le Jeane Beane,” Wentzel said. “I thought it would be cute to add a coffee shop and creperie in with the school so not only can the students access it, but the public can access it as well.”

Pictured: Diane Wentzel, owner of Spa Le Jeane in Canfield and Le Jeane Academe and Le Jeane Beane in Boardman.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.