In downtown Flossmoor on Sterling Avenue there is a self-care sanctuary, a place that focuses on making people feel beautiful inside and out. Thairapy Beauty and Wellness opened in October 2020 and is gearing up for its fifth anniversary.

The business began as a hair salon and expanded to include self-care services, including hair care, skin care, lashes, massages, nails, yoga therapy, while also selling extensions and brand apparel. 

During the month of October, clients get 5% off any service to celebrate the fifth anniversary. 

According to the salon’s website, the business began as a place to help clients learn about lifestyle and care tips, to encourage “Healing you from the inside out to promote healthy hair, skin and nails.” 

Owner of Thairapy Rita Barnes said she originally was working at friend and colleague Rachel Grayer’s salon. Today Grayer is Thairapy’s salon coordinator. 

“I feel like I always had a passion for hair, you know braiding my dolls’ hair and stuff like that,” Barnes said. “It just never left.” 

After graduating high school, Barnes earned an education degree from Kentucky State University and taught for six years while continuing to serve  hair clients on the side. 

“I realized I was making more money doing hair than I was teaching,” Barnes said. “So, I was like, let’s take this more serious.” 

Barnes’ first physical location was in Charolette, North Carolina. She believes God showed her the Flossmoor location. She always envisioned a salon in a downtown village area. 

Barnes’ mother, an insurance broker, was going door-to-door one day in the Flossmoor area when she found the previous owner selling the space. She encouraged her daughter to consider it. 

Barnes said she loved the community aspect and being able to create connections with the neighboring businesses has been a big help. 

Her biggest business challenge came with opening during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shop ended up closing in February 2021 for about four months. She is thankful the landlord understood her situation. 

These days, an average day of business includes manicures, pedicures, silk outs and blowouts, braids, sew-ins, haircuts and trims, coloring, facials and waxing. 

“Or sometimes people just come in and just want to hang out and talk to us,” Grayer said. “We’re beauty professionals as well, but it’s therapy. So, we’re a healing salon inside out.” 

Thairapy currently has a message therapist, three estheticians, several hair stylists and nail technicians, a yoga specialist and a resident therapist, Barnes said. 

Barnes’ long term goals are to open another store in Chicago and also open a beauty academy. 

Barnes is currently getting her nutritionist license to give health advice, hoping to include more wellness information going forward. 

Thairapy Beauty and Wellness hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Monday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Thairapy is located at 1046 Sterling Avenue.