Jo-Anne Hart and Tyler Hart share a love for their three big dogs and a belief that kindness brings good fortune. Jo-Anne’s creative spirit flourishes in her vibrant boutique, while Tyler combines beauty therapy with a nurturing touch.
With a smile, the two ladies happily call themselves the “Two Crazy Dog Ladies.” Between them, Jo-Anne Hart and her daughter Tyler Hart boast three big dogs: Seb, the black lab mix; Fang, the German Shepherd mix; and Delilah, another big dog mix. They love their dogs, and that’s not the only thing they have in common—they both firmly believe that what “goes around, comes around.”
“If you do good, good comes back to you,” Jo, or Jo-Jo as she is sometimes called, says.
When you meet Jo and Tyler, you have to wonder if we attain our human qualities through nature or nurture. That is, do we acquire our habits, life preferences, and basic nature through our family bloodlines, or do we develop them through the life we experience in our physical environment?
The debate has never been scientifically settled, but in the case of Jo-Anne Hart, whose mother was a seamstress and father an artist and guitar teacher, you could definitely say DNA has played a big part in developing her creative self, and it has been passed down to her daughter Tyler.
Jo-Anne Hart was born in Ipswich General Hospital and raised at Saddler’s Crossing. She gained her first job as a cake decorator at a Brassall bakery, and after 12 years, she moved on to Gardams Fabric store. These two positions speak of her natural creative abilities, but there is more. “I made my own wedding dress,” Jo said, “and I have made bridesmaid dresses for my friends.” Additionally, she delves into visual art, and her latest exploration is in watercolors. In between, Jo married Kev, and their two daughters, Cassidy and Tyler, were born. Twenty-seven-year-old Cassidy is now an engineering student, while 25-year-old Tyler operates her own business in beauty therapy.
Eight years ago, Jo combined her initiative and creativity and, on December 31, 2016, opened Oh! JoJo Boutique at Top of Town in Brisbane Street. It’s a shop of color, crammed full of eclectic fashions that, as her advertising says, range “from Boho to Chic.” It’s a warm, inviting space that aligns with Jo’s ethos. It also makes it the perfect space for Tyler to run her beauty therapy business. Since leaving school eight years ago, Tyler has been involved in the beauty industry, first as a spa manager and now as a beauty therapist in her own studio, which is at the back of her mother’s boutique.
Tyler says she loves the beauty business because of the nurturing it provides. “Self-care is good for us,” she says. “We need a softer time.” She identifies giving a facial as one of her favorite treatments. “You can just feel the tension melt away.” Additionally, she appreciates seeing the results of treatments. She explains that some people book in a while before their wedding and undergo a journey of skin transformation. Jo says she hopes Tyler has children so they can experience her wonderful touch.
Besides a workspace, the long-time family home is shared between the family. Jo and her husband Kev occupy upstairs, Tyler and her partner live in a renovated area downstairs, and Cassidy has her own separate quarters on the property.
Jo says that these days, with the cost of renting, it makes sense for her daughters to live at home. It’s also meant a makeover for the home they have owned for 30 years. Jo and Tyler both enjoy interior design and the process of renovation. Jo describes her style at home as similar to the boutique—lots of lovely things around, soft colors, plants—the things that contribute to a nurturing environment. Tyler says she is similar but more minimal, still with plenty of plants and cushions, together with a wonderful four-poster bed that she and her father built. “I don’t mind a DIY project,” Tyler says.
The mother and daughter are great advocates for Ipswich. Both agree you can go away (Tyler has just returned from a month-long European trip) for a while, but “There’s no place like home.” They enjoy the close-knit community, and Tyler is happy that many of her school friends have also remained in Ipswich. Jo says that her loyal customers have also become like family. Together with this, there is the history and heritage inherent in Ipswich city, and they see that as a very special quality. Yet, at the same time, they are enjoying the “new” Ipswich in Nicholas Street.
“It’s modern and exciting,” Jo said.
