Uptown Styles in Downtown Bradenton

Lisa Moscarello, a veteran hair stylist who has owned three salons, sees fashion trends come and go.

But a good cut and style requires a level of skill and artistry that never changes, says Moscarello, who recently opened Salon Uptown Downtown, at 620 14th St. West.

Moscarello’s shop is small, but customers get the full range of treatments here – including hair, makeup, nails and ear piercings.

Unlike most other hair dressers, Moscarello also is a notary who’s able to officiate at weddings. Although she did not mention whether she ever married a couple at her salon, she does cut and style both men and women’s hair.

And it seems men trust her with their hair: 65 percent of her customer base is men, including some of the officers from the Bradenton Police Department.

The trend for men? Hair color, Moscarello says.

Moscarello said that Paul Mitchell, known for its shampoo and conditioners, now has color treatment for men, which she offers. The Paul Mitchell brand is known as “Mitch.” She says that about 15 percent of her male clients color their hair. Of course, only their hairdresser knows for sure, and Moscarello is not about to reveal any client secrets. 

Moscarello said that women’s hair color choices tend to follow the seasons. She sees more requests for red highlights this time of year, and of course more interest in blonde shades in the summer. “We don’t really have the seasons here, but people still request it, like there were.”

Moscarello is candid about the work that goes into owning a small business. While she likes the artistic freedom of running her own shop, Moscarello said there are still the day-to-day challenges of managing staff and finding dependable employees.

Generating new business is another challenge for a small business owner. Women don’t flock to the hair salon weekly as previous generations did, she noted.

Moscarello said she used to do hair weekly for a large number of elderly women, who looked forward to a wash and style fit for a queen.

“I used to own a salon in east Bradenton, and the majority of older ladies came in for shampoo and set . Now I have fewer of them; that generation is dying off. Women in their 50s and 60s come in every few months for a cut and a color these days. Otherwise, they do their own hair at home. It's not the special event it once was for that age group.”

After spending more than a decade in Bradenton, Moscarello is farily well known as a hair stylist and makeup artist, participating in shoots and events in the community.

Last Sunday, she and another hairdresser from her salon did hair and makeup for a fashion shoot in Sarasota. She also takes part in Get Down Downtown Events, where she has a booth and does hair as well as raffles gift bags of products.

"The work I do never gets boring," she said. "You're not doing the same thing all the time. So it's perfect for me."