Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Monticello has a new business that combines a nail spa with an accessories boutique. GEM Nails & More, LLC, was incorporated in September of this year by owner Sunnie Washington, who joined the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce shortly thereafter. She held a grand opening for GEM on Nov. 12, and was officially welcomed into the local business community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 22.
GEM gets its name from the initials of Washington's father, the late George Edward McCant. Located in Unit 610 of the shopping plaza at 610 N. Jefferson St., GEM Nails & More offers pedicures, manicures and nail enhancements, such as acrylic and gel extensions, in the spa section of the business. In the boutique area, shoppers will find an array of accessories, including handbags, wallets, luggage, jewelry and shoes.
For the month of December, GEM has a special offer. Customers who bring a non-perishable food item will get a $5 discount on their boutique purchase or spa service. The collected items will be donated to a food pantry in Jefferson County.
GEM's hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, during the second, third and fourth weeks of every month. Call (904) 330-7613 to make a spa appointment, but walk-ins also are welcome. During the first week of each month, services are available by appointment only.
Washington has held a cosmetology license in Florida since 2007, but until recently she provided nail enhancements more as a fun hobby. After moving into the area, Washington is thankful that she found a location where she can operate a nail spa with her Florida cosmetology license and include a small boutique area that directs a portion of its proceeds to support her non-profit organization, A Rai of Sunshine.
The recent ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together family, friends, church family, business leaders and local professionals to celebrate the new enterprise. Rev. Clay Phillips of the Rose City Church of Christ offered a prayer for the community and the business. Roger Champion, president of the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, read a proclamation and presented Washington with a symbolic framed first dollar. The red ribbon was held by Edward Jones Financial Advisor Bob Davison and Jefferson County Schools 
Superintendent Eydie Tricquet, as Sunnie and her husband, Al Washington, wielded the giant scissors to snip the ribbon. Cheers and good wishes filled the air, as those in attendance proceeded to enjoy fellowship, a buffet of hors d'oeuvres and the chance to see up close what GEM Nails & More has to offer. One local resident sat right down to have her nails done and made an appointment for a return visit.
Interestingly, ribbon-cutting ceremonies have their roots in European wedding traditions, where cutting a ribbon has symbolized beginning a new life in a new home. Newly established enterprises began to use ribbon-cutting ceremonies in the U.S. in the late 1800s to show the public that they were open for business. The practice became more common throughout the 1900s and continues to be an important event for many companies seeking to make their presence known in their community.
It is a longstanding tradition locally as well, and Monticello welcomes GEM Nails & More with best wishes for success now and into the future.