A ‘do over: Cottage Grove hair stylists start their own salon

• MK Salon

Salon owner Mailee Kong (front) is joined at her new business by hair stylists (from left) Trisha Kalista, Richard Hubal, Amy Jeszewski and Robin Muro.

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If careers were hairstyles, Mailee Kong and her coworkers just wanted to let their hair down.

Kong had wanted to run a hair salon for 10 years, and she and stylists she worked with also wanted a new working environment free of a chain salon’s corporate limitations.

So they snipped their ties with a local salon and launched MK Salon, a full-service studio offering haircuts, permanents, colorings, extensions, hair conditioning treatments and other services.

Kong owns the salon and is getting help from stylists Richard Hubal, Amy Jeszewski, Robin Muro and Trisha Kalista. They all worked together at Fantastic Sams.

“We wanted to have less corporate environment and more freedom in what we can do,” said Hubal, who has managed area Fantastic Sams locations including in Cottage Grove.

Hubal said he has found the key to a successful salon is to offer variety and to make customers feel comfortable. Muro said at their old shop some customers would come in before their next planned haircut just because they enjoyed the atmosphere and conversation.

The stylists envision a similar approach at MK Salon, but with even more freedom.

“It’s a more relaxing atmosphere,” Jeszewski said.

MK Salon will serve men and women of all ages. A basic haircut for adults is $15. The salon will offer monthly specials. Hubal said they also will offer deals for the elderly, such as $30 perms twice a week, because those clients are on fixed incomes even as consumer prices are going up, he said.

Hubal said they expect to add four more stylists when business picks up.

MK Salon’s hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Kong said they take appointments and walk-in customers. The salon is near Dairy Queen at 7155 80th St., suite 150.

The salon is open now and plans a grand opening event at noon Saturday.

For more information, call 651-458-0866.

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