New Maple Grove Business: The Hair District

In the heart of Arbor Lakes off of Fountains Drive, Melissa Funk Nelson and her two business partners, Monte Mosimon and Sharon Devick Roney, opened the seventh location of

Maintaining the standards of other Hair District salons in Minnesota, the Maple Grove location offers a high-end salon environment for independent stylists to rent out space in. Stylists set their own working-hours and prices. Basically, the option to be their own boss without opening their own salon.  In addition to salon space, stylists are offered monthly educational classes to learn new techniques and trends.

“We really like to keep the independent hair-dresser in mind,” Nelson said. “We provide an environment that allows them to pick their own schedule and charge their own prices. It’s a peaceful environment where everybody is in control of their own success.” 

The Hair District opened with 28 stylists and they have the capability to expand to 42 stylists.

“The stylists that we opened with have been busy, especially in the evenings,” Nelson said. “It’s been fun to see everybody’s new clients and every stylist is learning about the new product lines and how to thrive in the new space.”

Nelson, like all of the stylists at The Hair District, had a list of clients that followed her from her old salon in Plymouth (another Hair District franchise) to Maple Grove. Now Nelson does hair twice a week in Maple Grove and twice a week in Plymouth.

“I grew up in Maple Grove so I wanted to be closer to my family,” Nelson said.

Four years ago, The Hair District was almost opened in Maple Grove when the franchise was ready to launch another location. According to Nelson, they couldn’t afford the rent in the area at that time.

“The economy took a turn and rent became 30 percent less,” Nelson said. “Suddenly it fit our business model. We could have come here four years ago but the rent we would have had to charge our stylists would have been too high for them to make any money.”

Tamara Flaherty, a stylist for seven years, is one of the renting stylists enjoying the new Hair District location and the benefits that come with it.

“I feel that you’re not micro-managed here and you can really be your own boss. I have rented before but here they provide education through classes for stylists and a high-end salon environment for clients,” Flaherty said.

Flaherty has a client base that followed her from her former salon in Plymouth and she has already had a busy week of styling at The Hair District.

“I came here because my clients want more of that that high-end salon,” Flaherty said. “They like the fact that I am growing my business through the education offered here. I think that if I used too much repetition and didn’t learn to grow my skills that my clients wouldn’t still be coming to me.”

The Hair District opened Monday, Oct. 3.