Hinsdale offers more customer choices

Meredith Jaye is new to Hinsdale, but only to those who haven't made the trip to the flagship store in Glen Ellyn.

"Hinsdale just seemed like a logical location for the next spot," said Kim Fuller, owner of M & Em's Children's Boutique and Meredith Jaye in Glen Ellyn.

Fuller's latest retail creation opened at 48 S. Washington St., in May. It offers carefully selected women's clothing, accessories for wardrobe and home, as well as unique gifts.

"We're wrapping gifts all day long," Fuller said. "We're a great gift destination."

Having just returned from a five-day buying trip in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Fuller said the store is ready for cooler weather ahead. Fall fashions are already hitting the showroom floor, with trends such as long, belted dresses, sweater vests and plenty of texture, she said.

Fuller said customers from teens to seniors find things to love among the racks, shelves and displays at Meredith Jaye, but what sets them apart is the way they treat everyone who comes into the store.

"We're definitely known for our customer service," she said.

Baldinelli's changes

Since running a couple of pizza places in Michigan more than 20 years ago, Greg White never forgot the energy of those eateries and the joy they brought to diners. He long dreamed of owning his own pizza restaurant, and on July 16, that dream finally came true.

White is the new owner of Baldinelli Pizza at 114 S. Washington.

"I really fell in love with the Hinsdale area," said White, who purchased the restaurant after a five-year search for the perfect segue from workforce management to restaurant ownership.

Along with the pizza that Baldinelli fans have come to love, White said he will introduce his own honey beer crust as an option, along with new appetizers and a vamped up bar selection. He said he wants to create a place where families can have fun with their kids, coworkers can gather for an after-work drink and people can just hang out with their friends. He's planning some interior changes to allow for more seating and to make the back room more accessible from the main entrance.

"We're trying to bring a more fun and playful environment for people to come in and have some pizza," White said.

Carryout and delivery also will be available.

"There will be a rebranding coming," said White, whose restaurant will be known as Sauced Pizzeria. Until then, fans of Baldinelli can visit knowing that the pizza they love is here to stay, even if it has a new name.

Dying Breed improves on

The changes at what was long known as Nick's Silver Shears are subtle, but they're not going unnoticed, said new owner Alex Frausto.

Frausto and Allyson Berquist took over the Hinsdale mainstay across from the train station on Hinsdale Avenue in early August. Since then they've added wi-fi, music and the ability to book appointments. But not much else has changed about the storefront now known as Dying Breed Barbershop.

"The old school barbershop is a dying breed," said Berquist. She said she and Frausto want to offer the community a place to hang out and chat, as well as get a good haircut.

Frausto and Berquist met as coworkers at a barber shop in La Grange and reconnected as business partners when former shop owner Nick Rossi decided to sell. Rossi joins Frausto and Berquist on Wednesdays, and while customers now can book appointments via phone or on the website (dyingbreedbarbershop.com), they also welcome Rossi's walk-in customers whenever possible.

One customer who recently dropped in for a cut told Berquist he had been coming to the shop for more than 30 years. After his initial visit to Dying Breed, he said that wasn't about to change.

Dying Breed provides short cuts for men, women and children, along with shaves. They also offer a line of hair and beard care products.

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and closed Sunday and Monday.

Experts in beauty share

Registered Nurse Aimee Martin opened Aesthetic Mentor as a training ground for medical professionals interested in the art of injectables. Nurses, physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners and physician associates interested in offering med spa services such as Botox and fillers to their patients can turn to Aesthetic Mentor for private training, group instruction and follow-up support.

Along with clinical instruction, the experts at Aesthetic Mentor help providers with marketing their new skills and services.

"We can help with the business aspects of the industry," Martin said.

Martin entered the med spa industry in 2007. Along with an increased interest among consumers in injectable beauty products, Martin saw the need for a place where medical professionals could learn to expertly offer the latest products and services to their patients.

Along with courses and one-on-one training for medical professionals, Aesthetic Mentor has launched a series of courses for estheticians, including training in chemical peels and microneedling.

Drawing from a longtime relationship with the business, Martin held trainings at Images Med Spa before opening her own location just above the Images spa at 18 W. First St.

A resident of La Grange, Martin said she's pleased to be part of the Hinsdale business community.

"We just love Hinsdale," said Martin, who wants to become a service for the general public, too. A series of public educational events will begin in October, and her space is available to private gatherings such as an upcoming birthday party at which she will instruct attendees on proper skin care.

The storefront has a selection of books, robes and other products for sale, and community events help to bring people together while sharing information about how the techniques taught at Aesthetic Mentor can enhance peoples' lives.

"It's really just about people wanting to feel a little bit better," Martin said.