Best Day Wilmington: Jayme Schieffer

If you had no budget, no appointments or obligations, and a beautiful sunny day, how would you spend it in Wilmington? 

That’s what we asked JAYME SCHIEFFER, who opened her own salon suite, Jay’s Salon & Co., in Hampstead’s Haven Salons & Wellness this January. 

After spending almost two decades in an accounting career, Schieffer took a leap: She moved to the Wilmington area for her husband’s job and decided to pursue her longtime dream of becoming a hairstylist.  

She enrolled at cosmetology school in Jacksonville at age 40. “I thought, what am I doing, I was the oldest one in the class,” she says with a laugh. 

She graduated and worked at a salon for several years, and at the start of this year, took another leap with her own small business. 

She has advice for women considering starting over with a new career: “If you want to do it, go do it – if you don’t take a chance, you don’t know what you’ll miss out on,” she says. “It’s not ever too late, especially with this world we live in.” 

Read on to see how Schieffer would spend a perfect day in Wilmington. 

How are you starting your day? 

“I would start my day by having breakfast at the Goody Goody Omelet House off Market Street. It’s a quaint little family diner (hidden gem) with the fluffiest omelets. I would definitely choose the peaches and cheese omelet with a side of their delicious biscuits and a cup of coffee. It’s fun to sit at the bar and watch the chefs do a little dance behind the counter as they cook. It’s not literally a dance, but they definitely have a rhythm about them that lets them move about in their small space like a well-orchestrated ballet of sorts.”  

Where would you go next? 

“As long as the weather was nice, and the sun was shining, I’d head over to the Arboretum and take a stroll through the plants and flowers. No matter what time of year that you go there, there’s always something blooming and it’s always so pretty and peaceful. After that we’d look through a few antique shops like the Vintage Marketplace, Modern Love or Flea Body’s Antique Mall, just to name a few. You just never know what kind of treasures you might find. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s always fun to look and take a trip back in time.” 

 Who are you bringing with you?  

“I would definitely bring my husband Josh with me. He’s not only my spouse of twenty-six years but my very best friend, and we love exploring this beautiful area that we live in together.” 

What’s for lunch? 

“It’s always a good day for Mexican food, so we would eat at Casa Encanto. They have delicious food and even more amazing drinks. It has a very enchanting atmosphere hence the name, Casa Encanto!” 

How are you spending the rest of your afternoon? 

“There’s nothing better than a little salt air, so I would take a drive down to the beach and take a stroll along the shore. I’d probably lose track of time searching for shark teeth and then I would lay out a blanket and watch my husband catch a few waves.” 

Where are you stopping for a snack? 

“When I’m in the mood for an appetizer or a drink, but it’s too early for dinner, I like to go to Tacobaby and share chicken nachos and street corn with my husband. Such a cool vibe inside with a little Dolly Parton flare. Next, we would walk next door to Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. I would order a watermelon margarita while my husband orders a smoked old-fashioned. Some of the best we’ve ever had!” 

Where’s dinner? 

“For dinner, we would treat ourselves to Ruth’s Chris Steak House, where I would order the petite filet mignon with blue cheese crust, a side of asparagus and potatoes au gratin. For dessert I would order crème brûlée with two spoons so I could share with my husband. Of course we will fight over the last bite as usual. I always win though!” 

How are you spending an evening out?  

“After dinner, we would catch a play at Thalian Hall. Nothing like the old theater ambience. So much charm and even a scent of the old days linger there. Always a cool experience. 

That all sounds like a perfect way to spend a day with the person that I love in a city we both love! Life is good.” 

Editor’s note: Some responses were edited for clarity. 

To view more of photographer Daria Amato’s work, go to dariaphoto.com

Want more WILMA? Click here to sign up for our WILMA newsletters and announcements.