Sumner salon makes a LaSuite move

Published 2:03 pm Monday, February 8, 2010

Changing locations is rarely easy for a business and few business owners will be required to move four at one time.

But that is essentially what was required of one Sumner salon when it changed its location and name late last year.

LaSuite Salon relocated to Main Street from its previous location a block away on Cherry Avenue, where it was called The Salon By…

Barbara Atherton owns the current shop and owned the previous shop, but the name of the latter signified the non-singular management of the business.

Each stylist operating out of Atherton’s shop is an independent contractor running her own business.

Stylists sublease a booth from Atherton at either the $500 per month full-time rate or the $325 per month part-time rate, and become responsible for their own appointments, hours, equipment, tax reporting and business licensing.

Stylists generally need to work enough to cover their individual subleasing costs, but otherwise they are entirely free to set their work schedule.

The stylists operating out of LaSuite are Robin Bricker, Roberta Ferguson and Renee Gibson.

The change in name was in part a matter of practicality, allowing all the independent contractors to operate under one name rather than necessitating an emphasis on all stylists, Bricker said.

The stylists of LaSuite offer a wide variety of services, including colors, oils, perms, cuts and facial waxing.

They cater to all manner of clientele, men and women, young and old. The ratio of male to female clientele is almost equal, Bricker said. Stylists set their own pricing.

“I personally enjoy the business side of it,” said Bricker, who is a full-time contractor and was an employee with another business before teaming up with Atherton about two years ago. “Work varies from period to period, just like when I was an employee, but the freedoms outweigh any negative aspects.”

Gibson agreed. “I can work as hard as I want or not at all,” she said.

Bricker’s work schedule varies from 30 to 50 hours per week, she said.

Each stylist has more than 20 years of experience and, combined, they represent more than 100 years of experience in salon styling, said Ferguson, a 27-year salon veteran who once owned her own salon in Sumner.

The stylists agreed they enjoy the new location.

“We’re loving being here on Main Street,” Bricker said.

LaSuite Salon is located in downtown Sumner at 1113 Main St.