Studio 269 plans grand opening in Berrien Springs

Kathy Jennings | Thursday, December 18, 2014

studio 269

It can be interesting how life moves full circle. Take Ashley Bowhuis and the location for her new hair salon, Studio 269.

The salon at 9187 U.S. 31, Suite C, in Berrien Springs is in the same building where Bowhuis worked for her first job, at Udders Ice Cream.

She's known the owners of the building for many years and when an opening became available the hair stylist with six years experience decided it was time to open her own salon.

"My mother works next door and she let me know that they were looking for someone to rent space in the building," Bowhuis says. She has been a licensed cosmetologist since 2008 and decided the time was right for her to launch her own hair salon.

Salon 269 has three chairs, two of which Bowhuis will ultimately rent to others. Right now she is building the business on her own. Studio 269 is a full-service hair salon that offers haircuts, hair coloring, perms, heat styling, facial waxing, and deep conditioning leave-in treatments.

Bowhuis's salon uses Paul Mitchell products and she says she keeps up on the latest in hair styling through training his company offers to those who sell his shampoos, conditioners, and other products. She also visits shows for stylists that take place in Grand Rapids and Chicago.

As a new startup, Bowhuis turned to the Women’s Business Center (WBC) at Cornerstone Alliance for guidance. "There were so many issues and details to opening my own business, and they kept me on track to making sure everything got done--orchestrating the timing and moving ahead to the next step."

Customers already are noticing the special touches Bowhuis has put into creating a salon that makes people happy when they visit. The way she has decorated the salon and the manner in which people are greeted as the enter are all part of creating the welcoming atmosphere she wants for her customers.

Bowhuis will celebrate the salon's grand opening from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.

Studio 269 is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and by appointment only on Saturday. For more information on Studio 269, call (269) 473.6100 or visit the salon's Facebook page.

Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave Media
Source: Ashley Bowhuis, Studio 269