Ft Shaw, Mont. – Leslie Thomas has been a hairstylist for 25 – 30 years now. She rented the building at 13372 Highway 200 in Ft Shaw about 13 years ago for her business Valley Cuts. When the building came up for sale, she jumped at the chance to buy it.
Leslie has lived in Montana all her life, and grew up in Power. After completing beauty school, she was hired at the base, which was a great opportunity for a single mother. She was a single mom for 6-7 years before meeting her husband, who is currently the commander of the Montana Air National Guard. After her husband’s retirement on December 1st, she plans to work full-time at the salon beginning Monday the 4th.
Leslie’s 16-year-old daughter, Taya, started a coffee shop called Square Butte Roasters in the kitchen last summer. “I’ve just been kind of keeping it alive as much as I can,” explained Leslie. “That was her summer job. She’s back in school now so she’s not running it as much. She’s just winding down after volleyball, but she is going to take it back over.”
Leslie recently rented out the other side of her building to her friend Bianca Beckley, for the new business, “B’s K-9 Grooming”.
Leslie and Bianca have known each other for quite some time. Bianca started working as a dog groomer in 2007. She decided to take a break when Covid hit, and then later returned to help out a friend, who convinced her to open her own business.
“I was looking for a piece of commercial property that I could rent,” explained Bianca. “I was driving down Highway 200 and looked to see where any buildings were empty. I drove past Leslie’s and stopped by to ask if she knew anybody who had something for rent to make a grooming business, and she said, come with me. We just walked around to the other side of the building. She’s like, will this do? And that’s how it all started.”
Bianca was born in Germany and has been in Montana since 2005. She enjoys grooming dogs and is offering puppy courses. Over a six weeks time frame, you bring in your puppy and each week she slowly teaches them how to be groomed. “We don’t clip them right away,” explained Bianca. “Every week is a bath and then slowly but steady towel dry, and then they have to wait in the kennel too. They’re totally dry and then we brush a little bit. I really do what’s best for the dog. If they can’t handle certain parts of grooming, then we have to make it over time. And the older the dog, the harder it is. It’s basically a six week course that costs $60.00 for any puppy. We’re going to start this December 1st. I get paid by the dog, not by the hour. If I can’t finish them, then I say bring him back and we’ll try again.”
If you are in Ft Shaw, make it a spa day for you and your dog. Drop your dog at B’s K-9 Grooming and while Bianca is taking care of your best friend, go next door to have your hair done by Leslie and have a cup of delicious coffee. For more information on these businesses call Leslie at Valley Cuts at (406) 799-6608 or call Bianca at B’s K-9 Grooming at (406) 231-3338 and let them know you found them in The Great Falls Gazette.
Author: Karen Anderson
Karen is the Editor-in-Chief overseeing all news operations at Foxys Publishing Co. She also loves photography and spending time with her dogs.
