Mehlville Salon Owner Is Cutting Her Way to the Top

Mehlville is an area intertwined with long-time, independently-owned business. Take and , for example. Businesses like these have, in part, constructed the character of our community. Over the many years, we have come to depend on their existence, even in the face of today’s hyper-franchised mentality.

Even with a neighborhood full of established businesses, everyone must start somewhere, and part of the charm of an area with such community spirit is the willingness to welcome new business to the block.

This is an attitude that new business owner Jessica Mayer is grateful for.

Mayer opened the Salon JB on 2868 Telegraph Road in November.

“The number one reward so far is the opportunities I’ve been given as an owner,” Mayer said.

Recently, the principal at North Jefferson Middle School in High Ridge asked Mayer to do feather hair extensions for about 200 girls for school’s spirit week.

“I never would have been asked to that if I were still working for someone else,” Mayer said. “I get a lot of people asking me to do different things now because I am the owner.”

Mayer was destined to own her own salon, achieving measured success in a very short period of time.

“I opened this place by myself,” she said. “I planned on being here for two years by myself.”

To her surprise, in just six months, Mayer’s salon employs four other stylists, including a female barber.

Even though Mayer was the girl in high school who did everyone’s hair for the dances, being a stylist was not her first choice.

“I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I probably would have been some sort of professional archer or professional hunter,” she said.

Growing up, her dad owned a sporting goods store. As a result, Mayer is a self-described “outdoorsman.”

“I love hunting. I love fishing. I love all that. It’s a huge part of me,” she said.

Before going to cosmetology school, Mayer worked in professional hunting for a while. She did hunting videos and had several archery sponsorships. But her passion wasn’t where her paycheck was.

“It took some of the fun out of it,” she said. “I didn’t enjoy sitting in a tree stand when I had a camera crew sitting next to me. So I decided to have fun doing that and I didn’t want it to be my job.”

Now, some eight years later, at the age of 26, Mayer is making her mark with style rather than on the bull’s eye.

After cosmetology school, she worked at a couple of other salons before striking out on her own. Many of her clients have followed her from place to place.

Furthermore, Mayer said she understands that serving your clients is about more than just skillfully handling a pair of scissors.

For her, the central location of Telegraph Road is ideal.

“I have a lot of clients who live in Illinois and Jefferson County. People come and make a day of it,” she said. “They get their hair done. They go shopping. They go out to dinner. There are a lot of things here that attract them.”

So far, Mayer said that the biggest challenge of business ownership is finding the time to get everything done and still devote undivided attention to her clients.

Mayer doesn’t want to give away any secrets, but she has plans.

“I’ve been working on some things that, in the fall, I want to introduce to the St. Louis area that no other salon has done yet,” she said. “I don’t want to give it away yet.”

To find out more about Jess Mayer and the Salon JB, find her on Facebook or call 314-809-5967.