By MIKE MCKENNA
There’s an old saying amongst great friends that goes, “We’re sisters (or brothers) from another mother.” As soon as Holly Trahan and Kelty Jensen met, they knew the saying applied to them.
Both women are originally from Montana and met over 20 years ago, but they became good friends because of their mutual love of Hailey and the Wood River Valley. They wound up spending years working together, first at Sun Valley Brewery and then as the friendly, dynamic duo at Zou 75. They have both also been working at Christopher & Co. Holly and Kelty even have their own successful mobile bartending business called Big Sky Sisters.
The two have remained fast friends as their lives have sped by from their single days to each getting married and becoming moms. They obviously make a great team, so it’s only fitting that they’re stepping in to take over Jersey Girl.
The local’s favorite sandwich shop on East Croy Street in Hailey has been going strong since Hannah McNeese first opened in 2015. But Hannah is ready to do something new and knew that closing Jersey Girl would break the community’s heart. Thankfully, the Big Sky Sisters were ready for their next challenge.
Holly and Kelty are officially taking over as owners of Jersey Girl.
“Our dream was to own our own restaurant and we’ve looked at some other options, but didn’t think they were the right fit,” Kelty said. “We had eaten at Jersey Girl for years and loved it. For us, it’s a perfect marriage.”
“We’ve been friends with Hannah for a long time and love what she created with Jersey Girl,” Holly said, adding, “The legacy that Hannah created will live on and the favorite items will still be available. It’s a passing of the torch. We’re just going to sprinkle in some of our own spices.”
Holly, who is blond, and Kelty, who’s a brunette, also have the nickname of “Salt ’n’ Pepper.” They’ll eventually change the name of the sandwich shop to match that nickname, but that’s further down the road. Right now, they’re just focusing on trying to keep Jersey Girl’s customers happy.
“We’re sandwich lovers, so we get it. We want to cater to locals and families,” Holly said. “We’re locals and we understand how hard and expensive it is to live here, especially for families. We want to keep offering quick, tasty and affordable meals.”
They also understand that living with food allergies, as Kelty does, can be very challenging. So they plan on increasing the options for people with food allergies or sensitivities. They also want to bolster their breakfast options and add a delivery service.
But, for the most part, the Big Sky Sisters, aka Salt ’n’ Pepper, will just keep doing what they’ve been doing for decades now—running successful small businesses in Hailey and being great friends.
Jersey Girl will host a “Passing of the Torch” Party on Wednesday, July 26 from 5-7 p.m. To find out more call (208) 788-8844.