Brighton stylists buy salon to save jobs, now the business is thriving

BRIGHTON — Krystal McLeod and Nicole Bolis never planned to be salon owners, but when the opportunity presented itself they were all in.

East Main Salon was owned by James and Nancy Matthews for nine years, but, according to McLeod and Bolis, after the couple divorced James Matthews planned to sell the building that housed it, which would mean the salon would either close or have to move.

"They stepped up together and they took on the business and now its seen its best 365 days yet,” suggested Summer Cobb, one of McLeod's clients.

Learning of the plan to sell the building, McLeod and Bolis joined together to purchase the salon business, at 114 E. Main St., in April 2021.

McLeod learned of the potential sale while vacationing and got on the phone with Bolis to discuss an alternate plan since they were panicking about where they were going to work.

“It’s been a whirlwind, but its been fun,” Bolis said.

Combined, the duo has more than 40 years in the business as stylists.

Persisting Through Challenges

The change in ownership wasn't the first challenge the salon has faced recently.

When COVID-19 struck, the salon shut down in mid-March 2020. Stylists returned in July that year. After braving the pandemic, McLeod and Bolis were confronted with losing their jobs after learning of the plans to sell the building.

"It all just kind of fell into place," Bolis said.

They made changes with décor, stocked the shelves with different products and added a new team of stylists. And the staff has grown from seven, just after reopening from the pandemic, to 14 now.

"It’s just really comfortable in there and everybody is super nice," Chelli Mazer, a client of McLeod's.

Now under their management for over a year, local mom-to-mom groups and clients rave about the work they've done internally and the care they give each person that walks through the door.

One client, Sheri Creech, whose had McLeod do her hair for more than 30 years said one of the most common questions in the Facebook mom groups is where local women should get their hair done.

"It’s super trendy. It’s really neat. You feel pampered when you’re there," Creech said..

Contact Livingston Daily reporter Patricia Alvord at palvord@livingstondaily.com about news coverage.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: New ownership of East Main Salon, a year later, local moms rave