The Mirror Newspapers Reflecting Life Along The Maumee River
BY NANCY GAGNET | MIRROR REPORTER — It’s a busy Friday morning at Alice & Co. Salon.
Three stylists are coloring, cutting and styling their clients’ hair while two nail technicians provide the perfect manicure and pedicure.
Since opening in January, Alice & Co. has experienced a steady flow of clients.
“It’s growing every day,” said owner and manicurist Melissa Lojewski. “I decided to open Alice & Co. in November 2015. I’m not sure if it was fate or what, but it began with just myself and has grown into a salon with eight hairstylists and three manicurists.”
The full-service hair and nail salon provides women’s, men’s and children’s haircuts, color services, Brazilian blowouts, beard and bang trims, waxing services for both men and women, up-dos and makeup services. A full line of nail services is also offered, including regular and gel manicures, nail repairs, regular and spa pedicures for both men and women, polish changes and acrylic balances.
Manicurists Suzanne Daoust, Roslyn Damron and owner Melissa focus on providing the very best nail services, while eight stylists provide a full range of hair services for both men and women. Each stylist works in a private area, making the experience more exclusive for both stylist and client.
Stylist Dory Geisel has been in the hair and beauty industry for 26 years. For much of that time – 21 years – she worked in the Perrysburg area, where she trained and taught advanced haircutting.
“I love it here,” said Dory. “I still have the privacy of my own studio, but I still get to work in a salon environment and that’s great.”
Making people happy is Dory’s greatest motivator.
“It makes me feel good when I help my clients feel good about themselves. I love that,” she said.
Gone are flat irons as the new trends in hair are big curls and lots of movement, she said.
“The shag is also making a comeback,” she added.
Nicholas Duszynski is a men’s grooming and image expert who says that men’s clipper cuts are currently a popular look for men. The cut takes hair down to the scalp then blends the hair up along the sides. He’s been working in the industry for four years and focuses on keeping up to date on current local, national and international trends in men’s fashion and haircutting. Nick says that coming to work at Alice & Co. has been wonderful.
“I love it,” he said. “They’ve given me so much. I don’t like to be micromanaged too much and I think they have the perfect amount of managing while still letting me have what I think to be freedoms, so I think the combination has been very appropriate for me.”
His client, Nate Nachtrab agreed.
“I like this little spot back here, it’s pretty cool,” he said.
Other hair stylists include Katelyn Ash, Aislinn Colapietro, Holly Rasanow, Jody Deal and Kathryn Kuhn. Machiah Lojewski will also soon be joining the staff as a stylist.
Previously, Melissa worked at a salon in Monclova Township. She became a manicurist in 1998 as a way to work while putting herself through college and raising her family.
“I finally finished with my bachelor’s degree in business from Ohio University in 2015. Yes, it took me about 17 years to complete my degree, but I did graduate with a 3.75 GPA, while raising my children and adopting our third child in the middle of all of that,” she said.
Prior to being a hair salon, the building was a dentist office. New flooring, paint and equipment transformed the space into the salon. The name honors a longstanding family tradition.
“My middle name is Alice and my paternal grandmother’s name was Alice,” said Melissa. “The name Alice & Co. came to me about a year before I opened my suite on Briarfield, where it was just me. It was like I always knew that one day, this venture would become more than a one-woman show. So ‘Alice & Co.’ just seemed right.”
Working in uptown Maumee has been a perfect fit for her, the staff and the many clients that they serve.
“So far, I love owning and operating a business in uptown Maumee,” said Melissa. “It is such a quaint and home-like atmosphere and there are always people walking around and everyone is friendly. We have In Bloom two doors down and they have such an adorable store, it gives our clients somewhere to go shop after a relaxing service.”
Alice & Co. is located at 122 W. Wayne St. in uptown Maumee. Business hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Appointments can be booked online and prices vary depending on the service.
For information, or to schedule an appointment, visit www.aliceandcosalon.com or call (419) 740-3374.
