Celebrating 25 Years of HC Studio
You've just hit 25 years of being open. What does this milestone mean to you personally and professionally?
That's a great question. Professionally, I have been able to fulfill my dreams as an artist, as an entrepreneur, as a person that can engage with the community. And personally, I love that I have been able to create and sustain something that allows others the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. It's very rewarding to be able to give an opportunity to people, to my employees, my team they're amazing - that they can fulfill their dreams, so very rewarding.
Looking back to when you opened HC Studios in 2000, how has this salon evolved over the years?
Wow, it has been through many evolutions. We have grown with the community for sure, Brookline Village has continued to grow. My business—you know, we started with three people, and we naturally grew into what we are today. There was no set plan. It kind of happened organically, and yeah, I'm super proud of where we are today and what we've been through. There's been a lot of challenges that we've had to overcome in 25 years, and I'm really proud to still be here.
From what I understand, you specialize in color, styling, and hair health. Is there a kind of philosophy that guides your approach?
Yes, we make every decision based on the health of the hair. That is the first thing that we take into consideration before we start to perform any color service, even haircut or style, and it’s what drives us. Hair health is something that lots of times we think of in our industry as fashion and style, which is great, but you have to have a healthy canvas. Otherwise, those other pieces don't work. So I would say consistently throughout 25 years, the biggest thing that we focus on is the health of the hair. Everything else comes after that.
You've made a point to support the local community, from artists to nonprofits. Why is this such a big part of HC Studio's identity?
Well, I feel that when you're part of a community, you need to really be part of the community. You can't just be isolated and alone, and I think it's a privilege to own a business and have the opportunity to give back to the very community that's supporting you. I come from the arts, I'm a big supporter of artists. Since the day we opened, we've had a different change of art every two months, and I'm super excited about that. It's a very safe environment for artists to show their work, and we work with many foundations and nonprofits in Brookline and throughout New England. Again, it's just part of giving back to say thank you for the support we've been given.
Can you tell us about the new partnership with Dana Farber? How did it come about and what does it represent for you?
Well, the partnership is very personal. I love Dana Farber and have personally been involved with them. My dad was under amazing care, and they're our neighbor. We’re 25 years in business and wanted to make a really big impact, so we made a decision that instead of doing small little charities throughout the year, like we normally do, we wanted to dedicate our entire year to this cause. We are celebrating 25 years, and our goal is to raise $25,000 for Dana Farber over the course of a year. It's been an amazing partnership so far, and I love it. I really feel like we're making a difference, and that is super important to me and my team. We are all super excited about it.
What do you hope clients experience when they walk through the doors of HC Studios?
When somebody walks into HC Studios, I want them to feel calm, relaxed, and that it's a moment in time for them to know this is their time. We live busy lives. They know that they're going to experience expertise. Our team is so talented, so professional, friendly, and welcoming, and that's the feedback that we've always gotten, and I've always strived for that. I think there's this fine line of being too professional, where you're unapproachable, and too friendly, where it's too casual. So to find that balance and make people want to come back and enjoy not only how they feel but how they look.
What's next for you and the studio as you look to the future?
Well, you sit and reflect—it's been 25 years—and you think, how did I get here? And it's exciting to look at the future. I see hair health becoming more of our focus. We've focused on it and helped many people through struggles and challenges with their hair, and we're jumping into that a little bit more. We've got some exciting new products and even new shampoo chairs coming, so stay tuned. We're excited about that. And to just continue to grow and be open-minded and be aware of what people need, what people want, and hopefully see another 25 years, which I'm excited about.
