Rocky Mountain Styles. I am the owner and stylist.
What do you do there and/or what are you responsible for?
Besides offering a full service hair and nail salon for all ages, I also take care of the bookkeeping, ordering supplies/inventory and cleaning!
How long have you been doing this kind of work (total)? How long on the Westside?
I played “doing hair” since I was 9 years old. My aunt was a stylist and taught me how to do the pin curls. I’ve had my cosmetology license over 25 years now. I earned the “Elite Moda Capelli Salon,” designation for color classes that I attended through the Framesi Hair Color Institute. I’m always taking new classes on haircuttting and coloring. I’ve been working on the Westside for 15 years and the last 5 years at this location. Even though I’m not that old, I’m now doing fourth generation customers!
What do you like best about it (other than quitting time)?
I like working with my customers. They tell me that this is the “Steel Magnolia” of the Westside. Everyone is welcome. Even if it’s just to come in and talk.
If you could change one thing (other than pay), what would it be?
Besides getting the word out that you don’t have to spend your entire paycheck to look great....when I hear the “motorcycles” going by on a Saturday, I’d like to go and join them (it’s good that I love what I do!)
What part of your work did your training/education never prepare you for?
Becoming so close and involved with my customers. Customers are not just customers, they’re my family & friends. (I used to manage a corporate salon and opened my own salon because I missed the family atmosphere of the down-home salons.)
What makes working on the Westside special?
The people, the atmosphere. You can just be yourself and love life. When I fell and broke my arm, my daughter came out from Tucson, Ariz., to help me run the salon from August to December 2005. My customers stuck around. The support was great! I just want to say, “THANK YOU!”
“What do you do?” is a regular feature in the Westside Pioneer. If you know someone who has an interesting job on the Westside (but doesn’t live here), he/she might be a candidate for this column! If you know someone who might qualify, give us a call at 471-6776.
