Girls, girls, girls
By JULIE MULLEN

Helping mark St. Charles' fourth annual Sisters Weekend, Eliza Jane -- a spa and gift boutique devoted to girls ages 8 to 80 -- is celebrating its official grand opening.

Sponsored by the Downtown St. Charles Partnership, Sisters Weekend is a two-day event allowing sisters -- real or found -- to reconnect, as they shop, dine and are entertained in the city's historic downtown.

Eliza Jane, which, in February, opened its doors at 322 W. Main St., saved its official grand opening for Sisters Weekend. After all, the entire business is based on fun, friendship and female bonding, said Eliza Jane owner Megan Hoffrichter.

"We encourage girls to come in pairs, such as two sisters, or a mom and daughter," Hoffrichter said. "A lot of spas are tranquil with running water, where we have a flat screen TV and the environment is fun and energetic."

The shop's motto, Beauty -- Style -- Grace, corresponds with its offerings of spa services, chic boutique goods and etiquette lessons. Side-by-side manicures and pedicures are just a few of the fun things patrons have in store at Eliza Jane.

"We have a manicure bar, and you can also sit and do side-by-side pedicures," Hoffrichter said. "If you want to relax, our facial room is tranquil. But the rest is a hopping place."

There are six facials to choose from at Eliza Jane, running from the Girly Girl Express for $35 to the Turn Back The Clock for $110. Manicures run $20 to 30, and pedicures, $38 to 60.

Hoffrichter says the spa's computerized nail art machine is a "must" for clients, and is the only one of its kind in the Chicagoland area. The machine creates 300 funky to formal designs in just a few moments.

The boutique side boasts products from Lug, Me! Eye Kandy, The Lippmann Collection, and David & Goliath; as well as jewelry, cards and a variety of other gifts for all ages.

"I've always had an interest in the generational thing," Hoffrichter said. "I wanted to sell baby gifts to things for hip grandmas. It's truly an all-girl store."

Enron to schoolgirls
Hoffrichter's first career couldn't have been any father from the hospitality industry, as an employee of the accounting firm Arthur Anderson.

One of the firm's largest clients was the infamous Enron Corp. Its 2002 collapse forced the closing of the St. Charles-based Arthur Anderson training facility.

Unlike some, who choose other careers before the hammer swings, the St. Charles resident decided to ride out the storm

"After Enron, I got laid off and became a meetings and events planner," Hoffrichter said. "But then, I wanted to do something really fun."

Today, Hoffrichter's clients may not be as notable as Enron, but they are indeed more important, she said. Girls need a place to bond and be themselves while they are getting pampered -- the perfect time, perhaps, to try their first set of eyelash extensions.

Eliza Jane University is now up and running, offering a six-week etiquette course for girls on fine dining, and the art of conversation and correspondence. A five-course meal at the nearby Hotel Baker serves as graduation day.

Various one-day "boot camp" sessions are also offered for adults who may want to brush up on their skills.

The etiquette classes are held on the second floor of the business, housed in a historic building. Hoffrichter said it took nearly five months to renovate the old structure, which included all new plumbing and most everything else.

"This building was tons of work, and we had to gut the whole thing, but it had good bones and cool archways," she said. "Now that it's done, I am really proud of it. It's a cool old building. I didn't want to be in strip mall." Local Discovery: St. Charles

Published in the Elgin Courier - April 22, 2007
Copyright © 2007 Sun-Times News Group. All rights reserved.