When Kristy Renshaw was a 14-year-old Saturday girl at a beauticians in Whitby she gained her first client. The same lady will be one of Kristy’s last clients as she leaves the industry next Thursday after 30 years.
It will be an emotional day for the beautician who, over the years, has treated several hundreds of clients in Whitby.
Kristy has handed her business over to Jade Bedford, who she has worked with for nearly 15 years.
Kristy said: “I have done this so gradually over the last few years and cut back hours. I sent a message to clients and it took me weeks to write it because I kept crying. We have shared our lives together and I got so many lovely messages back.”
She started at Whitby Toning Tables on the West Cliff, before opening her own first salon 23 years ago on Hunter Street, where she stayed for six years. In 2009, she opened Kristy’s on Flowergate, in what was a former sports shop, and then set up a salon at home on Laburnum Grove – just as COVID hit and lockdown began.
In 2023, Kristy’s relocated to Byland Road, and in a deal, which completed last week, it has now been taken over by Jade, who herself, started working with Kristy as a Saturday girl when she was at college.
After travelling for a few years, Jade came back to work for Kristy and has been there ever since.
Jade said: “Kristy had mentioned for a few years about wanting to focus on George and the other businesses and I couldn’t take it on until my little boy was at school and now he is.
“I love beauty and everything that I do. I don’t feel like it is a job, you are talking to people all day, it’s really nice. I could do a 12 hour day and think ‘where has it gone’. People become your friends.”
The people are what Kristy says she will miss the most about her job, but she wants to step back to spend more time with her family, husband Paul, and nine-year-old son George.
Kristy said: “The big thing is family life. My husband Paul and I have other family businesses, which will allow us to be more flexible, but it is for that time with him and family. George is our priority.
“I will miss the people and customers. For example, when I was going through my IVF journey and to me telling them I was pregnant, they were more emotional than me. We have been through that together and I would see people every few weeks, it became like a therapy session.”
Kristy and Paul are opening a new bar in time for summer on Church Street in what used to be The Blitz cafe and bistro, they also own Cosa Nostra, Marie Antionette’s and some holiday cottages.
