That Girl + Co Plans October Opening In Lemont

Lemont IL

09 September, 2021

2:30 PM

Description

LEMONT, IL — Lemont's newest business, That Girl + Co, is set to open in October. The lifestyle studio will offer workshops and classes for girls and women to learn new skills, owner Massiel Ullsmith told Patch. Ullsmith started woodworking more than a decade ago. After a few years, she began building furniture and home decor — and selling it. Then, five years ago, she opened Board and Brush studios in New Lenox and Downers Grove. "The things I learned about running a business were invaluable," Ullsmith said. "I learned so much." However, she knew she always wanted to have her own studio and left the franchise last year. Ullsmith said her favorite thing about her work with Board and Brush was seeing people come in, having never picked up a paintbrush before, and being able to teach them and help them grow. "[I thought] Maybe that's what I have to offer," she said. "[I can] offer the inspiration of teaching 'you can actually do it.'" That inspiration has followed her to her new business in downtown Lemont's Budnik building at 400 Main St. Ullsmith said she wanted to create a safe space where it wasn't intimidating to teach girls and women new skills. "What if I created a space that told girls and women, 'You can do this,'" she said. Ullsmith plans on holding a variety of classes, like introduction to power tools, yoga classes, self-defense classes, photography 101, how to make a charcuterie board and more. "[It's about] building skills to take home with you so you can do other things," she said, adding that working with your hands and creating something builds independence, confidence and empowerment. In addition to classes and workshops, Ullsmith said the studio will choose a different female-focused organization each month to spotlight and donate a portion of sales and proceeds from empowerment events to. Ullsmith said it is important to her to be able to use her platform "to raise awareness and money for organizations that are really trying to empower women." The studio will also have a small retail area, which will offer journals, jewelry and home decor items from women-owned companies. Ullsmith is planning a mid-October opening for the studio, as renovations continue on the Budnik building. "It's a dream, it's so beautiful," she said of the studio's new space. "When this whole idea came to me, it was instantly Lemont," Ullsmith said. Hours for the business aren't finalized, but Ullsmith said the studio will be open based around classes and workshops. For more news and information like this, subscribe to the Lemont Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. Don't forget to like us on Facebook!