SNOHOMISH — Kelsie Wens’ fingers moved quickly as she applied a color treatment to her friend’s hair one morning last week.
She’s in a good place — a place that’s finally her own.
Wens opened Fresh Salon and Spa in Snohomish last month. The shop is located in a brick storefront on First Street, nestled between the antique stores and coffee shops that give downtown Snohomish a small-town, neighborly vibe.
Wens is a young business owner but a confident one. After years of working in other people’s salons, she thinks she’s learned what it takes to make a go of a luxury business in a down economy.
And she’s in good company. She brought about 10 friends — stylists, estheticians and massage practitioners — along for the ride.
“I’ve always known I wanted my own business, just a place I could work with my buddies and have a good time,” she said.
She has her business plan in place, and a line of credit for start-up expenses. And it isn’t by chance that the Bothell resident opened her business in Snohomish; the location was inspired by the city’s abundance of wedding venues.
She knows wedding parties sometimes need a little pampering before the big day. And Wens plans to make staff available for hair and makeup on location, too.
The front-room salon is an open space, featuring yellow Japanese lanterns and a few brightly-painted walls. Wens came up with the look herself, along with the help of her new employees.
A painter in her free time, Wens attended art school in Seattle for a while. Fashion makeup caught her interest and led her to cosmetology school, where she first started talking about working for herself.
“Back then, it was kind of a joke,” she said.
Several salon jobs later, no one’s laughing.
Read Amy Rolph’s small-business blog at www.heraldnet.com/TheStorefront. Contact her at 425-339-3029 or arolph@heraldnet.com.
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