HAMPTON, Va. — A Hampton hair salon is bouncing back after being hit with a devastating blow.
A thief burglarized and trashed Salon Jobella last week, adding insult to injury while the shop is closed during the pandemic.
“We might have to push back our opening a little bit more depending on how long it takes to clean everything up,” said owner Caitlin Woolley in a tearful Facebook Live video that was posted April 24th.
Her life’s work was torn to pieces. Woolley says it was devastating walking through her salon after it was ransacked in the middle of the night last week.
“It was just like one thing piled onto another when you feel like your head is already going underwater a little bit,” Woolley said.
Woolley says she was trying to make some extra money as an Instacart shopper when she got the call about the burglary.
After sharing the heartbreaking video on Facebook, the community began sending messages of support and the donations came pouring in.
“A lot of clients in a lot of our community have sent me messages — just encouraging messages and I am so thankful for them,” Woolley explained. “They are what has helped me get over that hump in turning my attitude back to positive.”
She raised over $1,700 through a GoFundMe. Woolley says she was able to use the money to fix the broken glass door, replace a stolen TV, get a new security system and even pay herself and her staff while they’re out of work.
“I think it’s really showed us how much we do mean to the community, so that has been so helpful for our mental health during this time,” Woolley said.
Now she’s looking forward thanking her supporters in person, and getting back to doing what she loves.
"All we need right now is just prayers that everything continues to go right and we can open very soon," Woolley said.
