In a small town, owning a successful salon comes with its own unique set of challenges. Much different than some of the bigger salons in places like New York or Miami, suburban salons are tasked with making a name for themselves without the help of a bustling city.
La Rousse Salon and Spa knows a thing or two about building its brand from the ground up. What originally started as a single-station salon in the sleepy city of Oxford, Mississippi, has since grown to an 18-station salon with two locations and over 30 employees. Though, even with its steady growth, the salon has stayed true to its southern roots.
Housed inside a charming cottage in Oxford Square, La Rousse offers a luxury salon and spa experience in a place that feels just like home. "It has wood floors, cream walls, and always smells like Oribe's signature scent," says Toni Capomazza, La Rousse owner. "Being inside an old home comes with a ton of quirks, but it's our home and we want our clients to feel as comfortable in it as we do."
La Rousse Salon and Spa welcomes clients in to a warm and inviting atmosphere.
On top of the salon's warm and inviting atmosphere, the staff at La Rousse makes it their mission to treat all guests like family—a true staple of southern hospitality, and a rarity in some urban salons. "We offer complimentary hand treatments, scalp massages, hot towels and beverages to our clients," Capomazza says. "But, most importantly, we aim to make the guest feel like they're the only one in the room that matters. We want every person to receive the same level of customer service and experience every time they come."
Capomazza's high expectations for her salon and staff come from her years of experience as an owner, but that's not to say she hasn't experienced a fair share of challenges along the way. "I didn't know how to balance a checkbook," Capomazza says. "They don't teach you how to efficiently run a business in school. As a stylist, I'm much more creative than I am business minded, so I've had to really work to learn how a business runs and how to put people in the right places to make it run smoothly."
And with that, Capomazza has learned some valuable lessons that apply to her life both in and out of the salon. "There are some people you just can't make happy, and that's okay" she says. "I try to be as honest as possible during my consultations so that the guests don't expect something I can't deliver. Sometimes they hate the honesty, but most of the time they appreciate it. It's all a process."