by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Maureen Fox-Meyer is glad she earned a minor in psychology in college because what she learned – an understanding of people – came in handy later when she became owner and operator of a hair salon.
Fox-Meyer is owner of The Change, an organic hair salon in Pinecone Square on Troop Drive just off of Pinecone Road S. in Sartell. It’s across the street from Fitness Evolution, which used to be Gold’s Gym.
She opened her shop in September and now has a staff of three well-trained stylists, including herself – the others being Kelsie Johnson and Haley Whittman. She plans to hire a couple more stylists soon.
Everything they do in the salon is geared toward customers, on a one-to-one basis.
“We really care about the people who come here,” Fox-Meyer said. “We have good relationships with them and build trust. A relationship built on trust is so important because some customers had a lack of trust because of other bad experiences in salons. That’s why knowledge of people is important and the ability to listen.”
The Change is an organic salon, Fox-Meyer explained, because all-natural ingredients are used in all products – no plastics, no ammonia, no toxicity. Customers who are allergic to some hair-related ingredients need have no worries at The Change, she noted.
Fox-Meyer and her stylists do virtually any kinds of cuts, as well as hair-coloring.
“I myself specialize in curly hair or difficult hair types, such as hair with cowlicks or fragile hair,” Fox-Meyer said.
One kind of difficult hair is caused after chemotherapy treatments for cancer. One woman had lost her hair to chemotherapy, which she has to undergo once a month because of a difficult form of cancer. Her hair had turned gray. Working closely with her, Fox-Meyer dyed her hair a mahogany-brown, and the woman was so pleased. Her hair was so beautiful she was constantly getting compliments from people. Fox-Meyer is still happy about how pleased that woman is with her hair coloration.
Others, too, swear by The Change. Some customers travel for many miles to the shop because they like the organic emphasis and the one-on-one approach.
Owning a hair salon requires Fox-Meyer and her staff to be constantly striving for state-of-the-art, and there is always something new to learn. She attended the Salon Professional Academy in Waite Park and goes to periodic training sessions in Florida and in Las Vegas. She also keeps up with changes in the fashion industry, always keenly aware of fashion trends. She is a member of Organic Color Systems, which constantly researches and improves hair-coloring products and methods.
The Change is a 3,000 square-foot shop with a light, clean, open and airy modern design. It resembles an art gallery, partly because it serves that purpose too, with a series of art exhibits year-round. Local artists such as Laura Ruprecht, Shane Mahon, Kelly Clauson and Ann Meyer have had exhibits in the salon. Meyer, who is Fox-Meyer’s sister-in-law, is a multi-talented artist in many media: pottery, photography, charcoal drawing, watercolors and acrylics. As befits a salon, art and beautification go hand in hand, Fox-Meyer noted.
An upcoming special at The Change is a gift-card giveaway. Any customer, new or repeat, up until Christmas will be given $20 gift cards for services at The Change, and those customers can give them to friends or family members for Christmas.
Fox-Meyer is also a professional singer, who has a degree in music from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. She is a member of the St. Cloud-based Great River Chorale. She and her husband, Timothy Meyer, who live in Sartell, have one son, Kieren, 3.
Business hours for The Change are 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday; and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; or by appointment.
Maureen Fox-Meyer cuts a customer’s hair at her shop in Sartell, called The Change, an organic hair salon.
