Owning a similar business with a name similar to one whose owner is facing drug-related charges has brought embarrassment and possibly loss of business to Janie and Bruce Blunk’s Head to Toe Salon & Spa.
The couple say people have gotten their Head to Toe business in Jennings Station at Newburgh confused with Head Over Heelz, an Evansville salon and spa whose owner Shelly Thompson faces two counts of obtaining, or attempting to obtain, legend drugs by forgery, a class D felony, and by theft, also a class D felony.
The Blunks — owners of the Newburgh business the past 12 years — first got an inkling of the misidentification in March, after the initial story about Thompson’s arrest appeared in the paper.
Janie Blunk said she got a phone call from a man, who was upset with her, saying ” ‘I was just in there the other day and bought a gift card for my wife. Now, I find out the owner is in jail.’ “
The caller’s remarks shocked her.
She then opened the newspaper, saw a picture of Thompson with the arrest article, which identified Thompson as the owner of Head Over Heelz.
Karli Pfeifer, a Head to Toe cosmetologist, was asked “What do you think about your boss being in jail’ when she visited a local beauty school.
Pfeifer said, “What? Janie?”
“You work at Head Over Heelz, don’t you, Pfeifer was asked.
“No, I work at Head to Toe,” she said,
Another Head to Toe employee was quizzed on Facebook about her boss “being in jail.”
Janie Blunk said the mix up over the shop names also has affected her personally when she visits her Christian congregation and learns people are asking acquaintances about her, thinking she is the person in trouble.
Blunk estimated her business this past Mother’s Day season was off 50 percent, because of the confusion.
Even before Thompson’s arrest, there was confusion over the two similar sounding businesses, said Blunk.
In December 2008, Blunk’s husband, while manning an Eastland Mall kiosk offering Head to Toe gift cards, was told by a passer-by that she had gotten the worst massage at his salon.
The woman said she was not happy and wanted a refund for money left on her present gift card.
“Oh my goodness. We pride ourselves on customer service. I can’t imagine any of our gals treating you wrong. Are you sure it was Head to Toe?” Blunk said.
The woman said, “Oh, my gosh. Is this Head to Toe? It was Head Over Heelz where I went.”
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