Seven Questions with Joan Coore

It's been 20 years since Joan

Coore became executive housekeeper at Half Moon, Salamander's luxury resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Though she had an extensive background in the hospitality industry, her journey eventually led her to take over Half Moon's upholstery shop, a highly unusual internal department.

"Many times, housekeepers have a hard time maintaining things due to heavy traffic and non-durable materials," Coore says. "I had knowledge of sewing and now I was in housekeeping so I could marry the two and pick the right things. So, it was fun doing that."

In the years since, Coore has been promoted to interior décor and design manager, giving her the chance to help design and maintain the rooms at the property. Here, she discusses the path that led her to Half Moon, and why she enjoys her work so much.

SALAMANDER: What does your current position entail?
JOAN COORE: I maintain all of the rooms at Half Moon. When something has to be changed or upgraded, I help oversee the changes, and make the adjustments accordingly.

S: What do you enjoy most about your job?
JC: I am allowed to be creative and that is what I really like. I love creating things and problem solving, and this job is full of that.

S: Is it true that you make furniture and draperies on-site at Half Moon?
JC: The woodwork shop reproduces a variety of furniture for the hotel. We also have to maintain the property so the woodwork shop is there not just for décor, but for the entire property-doors, windows, whatever it is that needs to be done. We do import fabrics and then we make our drapery from scratch, as well as sofa upholstery.

S: Tell us about the clothing label you used to run,
JC: I worked as a sales rep for a garment manufacturing company, Rose Knits, which made T-shirts. And when my husband joined me in Jamaica two and a half years later, we bought the business. I had a little bit of sewing experience as a child with my mother, but once we took over the factory, it was a different ballgame because now I needed to know how to grade a pattern from. small to medium to large. So, I was forced to go and learn how to do this. From there, I was able to make my own clothing designs. We did mainly beachwear and resort-wear, which was sold to the shops on the north coast.

S: How did you begin working on the design side of things at Half Moon?
JC: Three weeks after I got here, the lady who was running the upholstery shop left. I had a background in garment manufacturing so they asked me if I could do the upholstery shop. I was executive housekeeper and I took on the job and did both for a number of years, from 2002 to 2007. Then, we decided two departments was too much for me alone so I took on the design role and I've been doing that ever since.

S: What makes you feel most accomplished when working at Half Moon?
JC: When a guest walks into a room, they might not realize what design work went into it for it get to that stage. I see problems as a challenge, and I have to come up with a solution of how we're going to fix something and make it look good.

S: What activities do you recommend for those visiting the island?
JC: To tell you the truth, I am a homebody and I don't really go too many places outside of Half Moon very often although there are lots of beautiful attractions surrounding the resort. However, I did recently go to Ahhh Rasnatango Gallery and Garden and I really enjoyed it. It was a very peaceful place; it's up in the hills and the art there-there are lots of things to appreciate.