Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Hogan & Marissa Riberio.
Kelly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Marissa and I both started at Umi Salon on Newbury Street. We apprenticed there and then became stylists. It was a great place to learn, a very high end environment. After a few years Marissa left and went to a salon on the North Shore. About two years later I left Umi to go out on my own, renting a chair in Brookline. I convinced Marissa to come join me. Not long after she did, I saw an amazing looking retail space on Craigslist. I didn’t say anything to her, but went to see it. Immediately I knew it was the right place for us. I asked her to get a drink after work one night and sprung the idea of opening our own salon. We were both very nervous to take such a big step, but it just felt right. The rest is history!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We are lucky, it really has gone pretty smoothly for us. The great thing about our business is that if you have clientele to start, you at least have some money coming in. To grow, we used tools like Google Adwords and Groupon, and most powerfully, word of mouth. Of course we had the occasional challenge. Our retail space is part of a condo association, which means you are at the mercy of their rules. This did pose a challenge for us a few times, but we worked through it. I think another challenge was Marissa and I learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We found ourselves disagreeing from time to time about how to handle things. Going through these issues wasn’t fun, but taught us a lot about each other and ourselves. We can now honestly say we have a deep respect for each other, and know who needs to handle what part of our business based on our individual skill sets. We have also become very close friends, she was in my wedding this past fall!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Station 34 Salon – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We do cutting, coloring and styling. I think we have developed a reputation for having a very approachable and relaxing environment for our clients. We also just do good work. Occasionally there will be a client who comes in and wants something out of the box, a funky color and cut, and we enjoy that challenge. Our wheel house is just beautiful hair. The philosophy is to give everyone who comes in something they love, and can maintain themselves. It’s great to feel good when you leave the salon, but if you can’t repeat it daily yourself, what’s the point? We pride ourselves on teaching our clients to style at home, so they feel good about their hair every day. When a new client come in we want to know about their routine, what products they use, what styling tools they have. Then we can go from there, helping them fill in the gaps where they need to so they are set up for success.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Our plans for the future are definitely bubbling under the surface. I am always daydreaming our next chapter. In a couple years we see ourselves getting a bigger space, adding stylists. We are also entertaining adding other services, makeup, possibly spa type things. I’ve always wanted a bigger retail area to possibly have a bit more of a boutique inside the salon. Fashion and hair go hand in hand, and I think it would be a great addition if it makes sense. The sky is the limit, and we are very excited to see where we can take things!
Pricing:
- Haircut $70
- Full Color (starting at) $80
- Partial Foil (starting at) $120
Contact Info:
- Address: 34 Station St. Brookline, MA 02445
- Website: Station34Salon.com
- Phone: 617-505-5103
