As a hair stylist, Mareli Santiago noticed a gap in the salon services offered in Ypsilanti.
"There are a lot of Hispanic people in Ypsilanti, but there aren't a lot of hair salon [employees] that speak Spanish," Santiago says. "Some people will go all the way to Detroit to find one."
Soon, they won't have to. Santiago plans to open her own salon in the
Ypsilanti Town Center building now under development on Ecorse Rd. As her parent already owns a small market nearby that is patronized by many Hispanic customers, it seemed like the perfect location for her niche market and beyond.
"We'll probably have more Hispanic people come in, but anyone is welcome," says Santiago.
Though she's currently undecided on a name for the studio, Santiago is leaning toward Studio M as a possibility. Renovations are now underway, and she hopes to open around mid-September. Initially, she plans to offer hair services only, but may expand to nails in the future. She and two other stylists will work at the salon.
Source: Mareli Santiago, Salon Owner
Writer: Natalie Burg
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.