T-R FILE PHOTO - Cosmetologist Angel Vaughan’s salon, Hair Junkie, 202 E. State St., was demolished last fall because of damage sustained in the July 19, 2018 tornado. Now, she says, she’s keeping her options open and staying optimistic about the future.

For cosmetologist Angel Vaughan, opening her own salon proved a dream come true in February 2013. However, the July 19, 2018 tornado forced her business to close. Now, she says, she’s keeping her options open and staying optimistic about the future.

Vaughan’s shop, Hair Junkie, 202 E. State St., was demolished last fall, along with several adjoining and adjacent properties.

“It was really emotional,” she said of the experience. “It was not until we got all that water damage following the tornado that it started to make me think we probably weren’t going to be able to repair it.”

Vaughan said two members of her staff and a few customers were in the salon at the time of the tornado and took shelter in the basement.

“I was on lunch break and called my two younger sons after I heard the siren, and then I went and picked up my oldest son and his daughter. I was heading to my ex-husband’s house when the tornado happened. I was driving right on Main Street.”

Her ex-husband’s home sustained damage and both of their cars were totaled. Vaughan was in the process of moving to a new house at the time.

“The lease was up where I was living, and so I’d already signed a current lease for this place across from Lennox, but hadn’t quite moved in yet, and with everybody needing housing, I guess I’m fortunate I had already signed the lease,” she said. “There was a lot of damage to the new house, but it was all exterior. My boys really went through a lot because they had two households that were in chaos, and my oldest son’s house had a full sunroom and garage ripped off.”

Vaughan said she was able to recover much of her equipment and inventory, but her couch and salon chairs were too riddled with shattered glass to save. She is working part-time at Center Cuts & More in Marshalltown, and part-time at Ancient Ways in Des Moines.

“After the tornado, I definitely had some anxiety issues and I took some time to regroup. I had some wage coverage (with the insurance company) but there wasn’t coverage for the space since I was renting,” she said.

Vaughan is also a full-time student at Marshalltown Community College with the ultimate goal of earning a degree in psychology. She is a graduate of the Iowa School of Beauty. She is also an aspiring artist and paints in her spare time.

“I’ve been keeping my options open. I did have several salons reach out with availability for me to work with them, so I was thankful for that, but I definitely would like to have Hair Junkie open again.”