PROFILING EXCITING NEW BUSINESSES IN THE BOROUGH

story by Jesse Piersol

We’ve all got those special pockets of town that seem like our own—the sidewalks we could navigate with our eyes closed, uneven cobblestones posing no treachery due to the path being so worn into our memory.

I’ve always had a particular fondness for Church Street. In my mind, West Chester itself seems to spring from the street’s origin out by the country club, moving past the library and into the downtown, continuing through where the businesses turn back into residences, all of which eventually melt into the expanse of West Chester University’s campus.

New businesses emerging in our favorite haunts bring fresh energy to the places and spaces we love the most. Here are two to visit on your next lap around the borough.

Inspired Nail Art Studio 133 N. Church St.

Jubetsy Moore prides herself on the unique quality she brings to her nail art, describing the moment when she first realized her true potential. “All sets are memorable to me, but I still remember my first blinged-out set where I charged $200,” she recalls. She used Swarovski crystals to achieve the desired look, along with the best nail glue in the industry. “My client came back three weeks later with everything still intact,” she says. “That’s when I knew I was different.”

In 2004, Jubetsy started doing nails as a hobby as she was getting ready to head off to college. As the years passed, she had four kids and went through a divorce. All that time, her love of nail art only grew, and she continued doing nails for friends, family, and herself. And then one day, she wondered if maybe she could do it on a bigger scale.

Jenny Bui, Cardi B’s first and still current personal nail technician, was offering a class in New York and Jubetsy signed up. “That’s the day my whole life changed in the industry,” she says. She began traveling to Florida for conventions and seminars, earning her nail license from Lancaster Beauty Academy along the way.

She opened her doors in 2022 in the town she feels has given her so much. Born and raised here until age 11, she moved to Puerto Rico, returning to West Chester at 21. She fell on incredibly hard times, the victim of domestic violence. “West Chester helped me when I was homeless. Friends Association opened their doors to me, not once but twice,” she shares. “It’s the reason I still offer a free manicure and pedicure to any single mom from the shelter. I want to be an example of anything is possible if you put your mind and heart to it.”

Just a few years ago you may have never encountered nail art, but today it’s everywhere... and ever more impressive.

Her most popular offering is freestyle. With this service, Jubetsy has free rein

Jubetsy Moore

to indulge her creativity, or experiment with a new trend. “It all depends on my client,” she says. “After a while, I know what they like and don’t like.”

Jubetsy cites a number of ways that she differentiates herself from other salons. She continues her education constantly, only uses high-quality products, and is fastidious with the cleanliness of her tools. As an artist, she stays up to date with what’s trending, able to accomplish almost any design brought to her. Individual attention is also a hallmark. “It’s a private, one-on-one service. I take my time and don’t rush my clients out the door. I build a bond with each and every one, and that is what matters the most to me.”

And there are no “typical” clients. “Us women, regardless of our career, race, or status in life, all have one thing in common,” she says. “We all want to look and feel good. We all use our hands on a regular, and it’s one of the first things people see when being approached. So, who doesn’t want to have beautiful nails?”

Pomp

141 W. Gay St.

“My dog, Greyson, is a giant lapdog wannabe,” laughs Pomp owner Joseph

Inspired owner Jubetsy Moore has overcome hardships and adversity on her road to success.

D’Ambro when asked to point to the most popular thing in his home goods store. It’s a joke, but five minutes into my visit, a group of three files in through the door, including a young man named Henry, perhaps four, interested in nothing except meeting the sweet, elegant, and positively enormous European Great Dane who inhabits the shop.

Pomp opened in late December 2022. Its aesthetic is modern and sleek, with a pale wood floor, light walls, and lots of light and texture everywhere. A massive, red-topped table—10 feet long—purposefully dominates the space to spark conversation about Joseph’s handmade furniture. The same goes for the long writer’s desk with glass doors that lines the west wall of the store. Using the legs salvaged from an antique jump sheer (a machine used to cut sheet metal) and a white oak top, the height ended up a little taller than a standard desk, so Joseph made a coordinating bench with a higher seat to go along with it.

Joseph D'Ambro

Joseph has been designing and renovating interiors in and around Chester County since earning his Interior Design degree from Drexel University in the early 1990s. His work can be found in local restaurants including Talula’s Table in Kennett Square and Restaurant Alba in Malvern.

After decades building furniture on the side, he wanted a place to showcase his work, which is where Pomp enters the scene. “I like to get inspired by something, and want to make something out of it,” he explains. “I needed a place to put it.” And when the time came to flesh out his new storefront’s offerings with textiles, pottery, and other furnishings, he was adamant about the type of products he would include. “I didn’t want to put my stuff around common things,” he says.

Joseph asserts that uniqueness is the primary drive behind the existence of the store. Beyond his own offerings, he estimates that 80% of Pomp’s products come from women or minority owned makers and wholesalers. Everything he sells is original, handmade, hand finished, and/or small batch, as well as ethically sourced. “It was very important to me to support the small batch makers and solo artisans, where one new customer can make a difference in their world,” he says.

“In many ways they are me, and I am them. Pomp is for anyone who doesn't want another ‘big-box-store-name-goeshere’ item that their neighbor owns.”

Plates, bowls, and cups with a delicate speckled glaze originate from KJ Pottery in Washington state, which opened in 2015 and just moved to “a big old shop in the Hillyard neighborhood of Spokane,” according to KJ’s website.

Customer favorites from the last month include blankets, drinking glasses, candles, and hotel/spa towels with tassels. Joseph sources cutting boards from Maryland. “I liked the fact that they’re local,” he adds. Luxurious textiles include spa towels of Turkish cotton adorned with knotted ends, bath sheets nearly the size of a twin bed sheet, and chunky blankets knit from no-itch Merino wool.

Young Henry and his adult companions leave, and Joseph looks after them thoughtfully. “That dog brings joy, and that makes it worth it,” he muses. “Why should I have all the joy?”