Name: Artistic Creations Salon
Address: 22 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-357-5467; www.artisticcreationssalon.com
Owner: Terri Jacob, of Naperville
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Years in business: 34
What does your business do? “We are a boutique salon. (We) specialize in unique customer personalized service, hair and color. Boutique is a more one-on-one environment. You’re with the same person for all services,” Terri Jacob said.
What’s the background? “I started cutting hair in 1979 when I was a kid. … I went to cosmetology school. My first job was in south Naperville, six, seven years. Then six of us left and opened a salon at 75th and Rickert. It’s still there, a different name. I was there a year and a half, then went to Salon Suites. Then I discovered this place.”
How did you discover it? “Because of Starbucks. I heard how great it is. I became a coffee drinker. I walked by here every day. Nobody was in the salon here. … I found out who the landlord was. I followed up. About nine months later, he called me because I was so persistent and said the place was up for rent. I had three weeks to do a build out here.
“We recently did new flooring, new chairs, new lighting. Myself and my brother Tim (Jacob) did it.”
How loyal is your clientele? “I’m very blessed (that) my clients have followed me since the ‘80s. It’s generational. Their kids and their kids’ kids. … It’s heartwarming. It’s like ‘Cheers’ in here. Clients intermingle with each other. We welcome that. … Doing the remodel shows my clients I care about my business.”
How many people work here? “There are three of us. Melissa Duran has been with me 14 years. Jordan will be here two years in November. She came here right out of beauty school.”
What does a customer say? “I come here for Jordan. I’ve known here since she was a child,” said Laura Meehan, 47, of Lombard.
And an employee? “I like working here. A great place. There’s no (obnoxious) music. It’s very quiet and nice,” said Jordan Bishop, 26, of Naperville.
Why are you in this business? “Every day, every guest is different. … No matter how that person is feeling that day or what they’re going through, when they leave here, they feel so much better about themselves. … They’re a walking advertisement for us. That keeps me going, having that opportunity. … Loving what we do. You can’t put a price tag on that.”
What do you look for in a stylist? “I can teach skills all day long. But I can’t teach people skills. I hire from that. … We’re always going to seminars, classes. We’re in an industry where things change all the time.”
What sets this business apart? “We do ‘hair therapy.’ We jokingly but not jokingly have a policy. We call it ‘The Hair HIPA Law.’ Whatever people confide in us stays right here. They tell us things in confidence that they may not share with their best friend.”
What about competition? “I don’t worry about that. The first guy I worked for said the second you start worrying about what other people are doing, you lose focus. Focus on what you do good, and the rest follows. And here we are 34 years later. There are 170,000 people in this town, plenty to go around.”
When are you here? “We are open Tuesday through Saturday. It varies between the three of us. … You can book online. … I’m the one who comes in at 7. Years ago, I started that because of guys who were golfing on weekends. Or, I’ll cut their hair on their way to work.”
Is most of your clientele men or women? “For me, 60% men. For the girls, lot of families.”
Any favorite stories? “Years ago, I had a bench out front. People would come by with their dogs. … In time, part of my clientele was people stopping with their dogs. … You chat with them. Then they’d inquire about getting their hair done here.
“We’re really involved with St. Baldrick’s. Two years ago, I said, ‘Why don’t we have an event here?’ It’s gone really well. … The first year, we had a line of people waiting to come in. They make donations to raise funds (to fight) childhood cancer. … We donate hair 12 inches or longer to Wigs For Kids. They make wigs for kids with cancer or hair-loss issues.”
What’s your advice for anyone starting a business? “Don’t try to do everything. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It does take time. … The hard times are fewer than the good times.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at [email protected].