In every small town across America, there’s at least one salon that raises the bar for everyone else. Newport, OR (population 10,117) has Salon Ethos.
Known as the Dungeness crab capital of the world, Newport, OR is a haven for beachgoers. Whether surfing, walking on the shore or visiting the fishing port, there’s no shortage of outdoor activities. Not far from the Pacific Ocean is Salon Ethos, in Yaquina Bay. The salon, which opened in 2011, is part of the Deco District, Newport’s downtown area known for its art deco buildings.
At Salon Ethos, clients can find a modern, 3,000-square-foot space flooded with natural light. The walls of the salon are painted shades of vibrant green and melon, while the waiting area features a striped rug and white chairs for a funky yet chic aesthetic. Salon owner Liz Rose-Worman says she got the idea for the color scheme while walking by CB2, sister store of Crate & Barrel, in New York. “There’s a lot of rain in the Northwest, so I wanted something bright and welcoming, but not obnoxious.”
The staff of 12 at Salon Ethos offers cuts and color services, as well as manicures and pedicures, waxing and makeup application. Salon Ethos also recently added a blow-dry bar with three stations. “Most clients prefer to go to a salon for blowout services if the salon offers it, but many salons don’t, or not at an affordable price,” Rose-Worman says. “I wanted to introduce blowouts to our community, so we brought people in for training to enhance our blowout skills so the styles would last longer.” At the blow-dry bar, the salon uses products like Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Two-Day Extender. The salon promoted the service through social media, a photo shoot and launch party.
The salon’s most popular service is color, Rose-Worman says, and she attributes the success to the staff’s consultations and customized services, as well as continuing education. Rose-Worman also says that because she is so passionate about color, she made it a point to build a salon culture around it.
In addition to offering top-notch services, Salon Ethos hosts an annual event for Stylists Helping Youth With Mental Illness, a charity organization started by Rose-Worman. Last year, the salon hosted a fashion and hair show with proceeds donated to the organization, and also raised money for the cause through the blow-dry bar launch party.
In the future, Rose-Worman hopes to give top stylists a chance to become shareholders in the business, as well as expand to the Portland market. ✂ —Corie Hengst
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