Paula Johnson the Garston boutique owner who’s helping women feel their best, inside and out

When Paula Johnson opened Sparkles Studio Boutique in Garston, she knew she was doing more than just selling clothes. For Paula, it’s always been about helping women pick themselves back up when life knocks them down — because she knows exactly what that feels like.

When she got divorced 15 years ago, Paula Johnson lost her home, her hairdressing salons and, for a short time, even herself.

But instead of wallowing in self-pity, the 58-year-old from Allerton fought back not just to rebuild her life and establish a successful new business, but to offer help and hope to others like her.

Paula said: “Life can be unpredictable.”

“There are times when we all feel lost and alone, and we don’t know what to do.

“But when you’ve reached rock bottom, the only person who can pick yourself up is you. And though it was difficult, going through that I learned I had enough self-belief to give back and help other people do the same.

“It’s what makes me happy.”

Mum-of-four Paula was Community Champion runner-up in this year’s Merseyside Women of the Year Awards.

For the last 10 years she’s owned and run Sparkles Studio Boutique in St Mary’s Road Garston where she prides herself on helping women look and feel their best, and she’s raised thousands of pounds for charity, and offered her advice and support to hundreds.

Paula admits: “It’s what makes me get up, it’s about doing the right thing.”

The former hair and make-up artist who taught at Liverpool City College had set up two thriving hair salons in Old Swan and Wavertree but lost everything when her marriage broke down.

She took on four jobs to survive, returning to hairdressing, teaching at Blackburne House, delivering training programmes and offering her hair and make-up services to brides on their big day – all while looking after her elderly mum who had suffered a stroke.

She said: “It was horrendous, but I did what I did to survive.

“Eventually I wanted to open another business but at 46 felt I was too old to go back to hairdressing, so because I have always worked with women in the beauty industry and having been trained in colour analysis, I decided to open my own clothes boutique.

“I decided I wouldn’t sell anything that was over £100 so it was accessible to all women, of all ages and sizes.”

And it was through that that Paula realised she could offer more than selling clothes. Women came to her at all stages in their lives, going through separation and divorce, mental and physical health problems, the menopause and mastectomies, and as well as helping them to find the right outfits, she provided a sounding board and offered advice and understanding.

“If I had £1 for every time someone’s cried in my shop, I’d be a millionaire. But I knew in many cases what they were going through and I could empathise; and I felt I had the experiences, the understanding and the self-worth to give back,” says Paula who has a Facebook networking group called Every Woman Sparkles ‘because every woman does’! “So I decided I would.”

The first charity Paula got involved with was Little Hearts Matter, dedicated to supporting and empowering anyone affected by the diagnosis of a single ventricle heart condition, because her daughter Amelia, now 28 and a mum herself, underwent open heart surgery as a young girl. She raised £9,000 for them.

She became involved in South Liverpool Domestic Abuse Services organisation, for which she is now a trustee, giving talks, raising funds, and gifting outfits to those who use it.

Recently Paula Johnson raised £21,00 with a charity ball for Amy and Friends, the Birkenhead charity which supports children, young people, families and carers suffering from DNA repair disorders.

She has hosted numerous fashion shows for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity after having met so many women who have or have had cancer through her varied careers.

And Paula ran 5K for Centre 56’s Running the Railways challenge in March this year, which helped collect £57,000 for the Kirkdale-based charity which supports families who have experienced domestic abuse and crisis situations.

She says: “I have no idea how much I’ve raised, but it’s not just about the money.

“My dad, who’s 93, was a chief inspector who served with Merseyside Police for 38 years and I think it’s ingrained in me that we should respect and help others.

“A young woman told me recently that if it wasn’t for me she probably wouldn’t be on this earth right now. That made me cry!

“We have a responsibility to look after each other.

“Being runner-up in the Merseyside Women of the Year awards was breathtaking, but I do what I do because I love the way I live now.

“I don’t worry about my business failing. I don’t worry about being a millionaire. I care about helping people, because that makes me feel happy. That’s what makes my day.”