Scissor Mill Salon & Day Spa to host anniversary open house Saturday

When Julie Fisher-Fryman knew, even as a kid, that she wanted to spend her life styling hair.

Her dream led her to open her own salon only a few years removed from her high school graduation, at just 23 years old.

“I always wanted to work in a salon, so why don’t I just work for myself,” Fryman recalled thinking at the time.

Thirty years later, she can still say that her only direct report is herself.

On Saturday, the Scissor Mill Salon & Day Spa celebrates its 30th anniversary in style, offering a day of special deals, treats and giveaways to customers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The theme of the open house is “throwback 30,” with 30 percent discount on coloring, $9 haircuts, $3 waxes and 30 cent tans.

The anniversary is a milestone achievement for the Front Street beauty parlor. Located near the intersection of Front and Division Street downtown, the storefront that eventually became the Scissor Mill was once a simple warehouse for a nearby retail store, which hardly seemed suited for a fashion salon at the time, Fryman said.

“There wasn’t any windows or anything at the time out front,” she said. “It was just one big old brown panel.”

Working with her family and husband, Fryman transformed the warehouse into something more suitable for her trade, installing refashioned wood panels from her father’s farm on the wall that are still visible today. She opened for business with only herself and another stylist, both working early mornings and late nights, often for seven days a week, she said.

“I’m a strong worker, so I just did what I had to do to make it work,” she said.

In the decades that followed, the Scissor Mill expanded its operations, going from four stations in 1984 to seven stations today. Around 15 years, the company began expanding into the day spa business as well, offering tanning, waxing, wrapping, manicures and more to their repertoire of services.

Fryman works alongside a team of five beauticians today, some of who have been with the company for 20 years.

“It’s a strong team effort here in the salon,” the owner said. “We have a lot of fun. It’s a very light atmosphere in here.”

Of course, the business wouldn’t have lasted 30 years without building a strong clientele along the way. In addition to seeing a lot of traffic during the summer from the resort community, the salon has a growing base of regulars, a few of which  have been visiting it since it opened up 30 years ago.

While the business is dedicated toward making its clients look their absolute best, the key to its continued success lies in the same values that gave birth to it and many other businesses: blood, sweat and tears.

“Being a small town business brings a lot of challenges, because you’re not going to have instant success,” Fryman said. “It takes a lot of hard work to succeed.”