Sisters Annie Johns & Amy Evans Treat You Like a Guest at Spruce and Bon Lemon

spruce bon lemon
Spruce owner Annie Johns and Bon Lemon owner Amy Evans are two sisters lucky enough to share a work place.
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By Kelli Samson

heritage bankI am a fiercely loyal customer. No one was more surprised than me when I broke up with my decade-plus aesthetician after just one visit to Spruce.

And why? Well, it’s a combination of things that all add up to feeling pampered. Why would anyone want to feel anything less?

Annie Johns, founder of Spruce, opened her doors in 2009. Massage therapist and friend Alison Herd of Kneaded Relief joined Johns at her location. “We’ve got a really good working relationship,” smiles Johns. It wasn’t long before John’s sister, Amy Evans, turned the duo into a trio of adjoining, female-owned businesses by opening up her well-curated shop, Bon Lemon, in an adjacent space.

spruce bon lemon
Spruce owner Annie Johns and Bon Lemon owner Amy Evans are two sisters lucky enough to share a work place.

The businesses have unique products at a great value that I do not see anywhere else in town. The hosts are charismatic and positive. “We are aware that we wouldn’t be here without our customers. We feel like they are family, and we want to give them a special experience,” says Amy Evans, proprietress of Bon Lemon.

Adds her sister Annie, “Our clients aren’t lucky to get in. We are lucky that they chose to be here. We never want to take that for granted.” This customer-based philosophy is amplified at the recently-opened new location of Spruce, Bon Lemon, and Kneaded Relief, located together at 4419 Harrison Ave NW in Olympia.

The strong customer base of each woman’s business has lent itself well toward what Evans calls “a very symbiotic” model where the three institutions easily share clientele.

The rest is a sparkly, well-polished history. “We’re lucky,” chime the sisters.

Annie Johns is a woman with a quick laugh and a twinkle in her eye. A self-described tomboy growing up, she is now a busy mama of two small children. She used to be an economist, but that didn’t make her heart sing. “I worked at Hoopla for three years, and I loved being there and helping women. I liked connecting with people. I decided I wanted to use my brain for creating a business that could go in many different directions, so I went to esthetician school.”

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For a full line of Votivo candles and other gifts to delight your friends, Spruce and Bon Lemon is your one-stop gift shop. You may as well get a facial while you’re in!

“Annie’s really good at the business side of things,” boasts her sister.

Spruce employs the cheeky mantra “We are not high maintenance, just well maintained.” These words guide the customer’s experience while receiving services. Makeup, waxing, and other skin care regimens are not presented as guilty-pleasures. Rather, they are smart, routine maintenance procedures for today’s modern woman (or man).

Spruce’s clinical skincare products are located on one side of the concierge’s desk, and Bon Lemon’s baubles can be found on the other. The space is very intentional. Spruce boasts a plethora of lotions and potions for everything from eyebrow care to sun blocks, serums to the perfect remedy for ingrown hairs. “I only stock natural, clinical skincare, which can be really hard to find,” explains Johns.

Evans, a former lawyer who has currently been filling in as the interim executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, embraces the motto “when life gives you lemons, put on something sparkly.“ Bon Lemon’s products include all kinds of jewelry at reasonable prices. She even has a jewelry bar where customers can choose from a selection of charms to make their own, customized necklace.

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The new location for Spruce, Bon Lemon, and Kneaded Relief was a labor of love.

In addition to jewelry, Evans showcases scarves, champagne glasses, and fun tank tops. She teams with Sarah Quartucci and Brenna Weaver in deciding which items to buy for the shop. She has a special set of shelves just for the things she is currently in love with, and they consist of eye candy (and real candy) at its finest.

“Altruistic capitalism” is very important to Evans. “I believe that meaningful employment is what changes communities.” She currently donates 25 percent of Bon Lemon’s profits to charity. “We try to support charities in all the places where we have customers,” explains Evans.

“I admire that my sister is so philanthropic,” says Johns.

What’s refreshing about Evans is that she shows that women can be socially conscious and still have fun. Every Friday she hosts a happy hour from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m., complete with champagne and 20 percent off of selected items.

And did Johns and Evans, sixteen months apart and both graduates of Capital High School, ever envision themselves sharing a business space?

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Spruce carries quality candles, makeup, and skincare products.

Not at all.

Like many sisters, they irritated one another growing up. But family ties run deep, especially in their clan, and they found their way back to one another.

The sisters are very different, but they have a strong commitment toward both their relationship and business. “We want to be generous with one another,” says Evans. “We both want to be professional but fun. We really want success for one another,” adds Johns. “Amy’s a risk-taker, and I am more conservative. It works out.”

All three businesses recently made the move from a space on Limited Lane. The location was charming, but they were out-growing it. Spruce had recently expanded from three to four estheticians with the recent hiring of Natalie Hubbard in order to better meet the demand for their services.

The new location was funded and constructed by the Morris family, owners of JA Morris Construction and MPH Holdings. “They really partnered with us and shared our vision. Everything came out exactly as I expected,” explains Johns. The location features a modern ambiance – lots of windows, vaulted ceilings, and funky fixtures. The treatment rooms are all separated from the lobby area so that Johns, Hubbard, Chelsea Bouchee, and Ryane Bensley can be serving guests quietly.

The sisters’ dad has hand-constructed many of the fir-accents in the shop, including shelves and stump end tables, each contributing a unique and earthy feel to the space.

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Bon Lemon owner Amy Evans takes a cue from Oprah with her “Favorite Things” shelf. She explains, “The little luxuries are what life’s all about.”

“Our family has always been interested in design, and the design of this whole space has been a family activity,” states Johns.

Another bonus? The new location will give the trio of businesses much greater exposure to the public.

“Right now, this is super fun for us,” concludes Evans. “Who knows what the next chapter will hold?”

You can help the sisters celebrate their official grand opening by dropping in anytime from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. on August 12 to fill the new space with lots of sparkle. You can learn more about Spruce at spruceshoppe.com and Bon Lemon at bonlemon.com.

Spruce, Bon Lemon and Kneaded Relief

4419 Harrison Ave NW in Olympia

Appointments: 360-701-1380

 

 

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