establish salon

I’ve seen this before. I know what to look for now.

• • •

The first year is full of firsts. The first time seeing something, in real life. The first time figuring it out, in real life. And the first time asking for help, in real life.

And then comes the second. The third. The fourth. The tenth. And somewhere in-between, without even realizing it, you become the stylist who’s doing the thing.

You see it. You know what to look for. And now you’re the one taking care of the details for the person in your chair.

So when she leaves, she has everything she needs to walk into an important work meeting, get dressed up for her cousin’s wedding, and make dinner for her family with a weird bun on top of her head.

🖤🤍

I’ve been going to Establish Salon for several years and absolutely love it. I see Cindy, and I can’t say enough good things about her. She feels like family, and she always does an amazing job.

The owners, Ninna and Gabrielle, are wonderful people who genuinely care about their clients and creating a welcoming experience.

The entire team is friendly and inviting, and the salon has such a warm, small-town feel. I also love that they’re actively involved in the Lake Elmo community.

On top of that, they carry great products and have the cutest Lake Elmo merchandise. I highly recommend!

-MW

🖤🤍

I’ve been here before. Three quarters of the way through a visit and things get quiet.

You look at it again, try something different. But that’s not it. You’ve seen it a million times, even done it before, so why isn’t it working right now? And why does it feel like there’s suddenly a spotlight on me?

I remember that feeling.

Maybe that’s why, when I see it happening with one of our newer stylists, I recognize it right away.

Because being stuck doesn’t mean you aren’t capable. Sometimes it means you’re learning to see something you haven’t learned to see yet.

And sometimes, you just need someone who’s been there before to help you keep going.

🖤🤍

You step behind the chair. And in this moment, there’s nothing else pulling at you.

Your space is ready. Everything you need is right there. And the things that could pull you away? They’re already being handled.

So you can listen without thinking about what’s next, notice the details, and be part of the conversation.

🖤🤍

You settle into the chair. And for a moment, there’s nothing you need to do.

You can tuck in with a good book, close your eyes, or simply stay awhile.

Because you can feel when the person taking care of you has the space to really take care of you.

The hair is ready.
Everything is where it needs to be.
There’s nothing pulling them away from you.

So you can sit back, exhale, and know you’re in good hands.

🖤🤍

A place to land. A little room to breathe. And a moment to be greeted, catch up, and pick up where you left off.

September has a way of sending everyone in a hundred directions. Back to school. Back to work. With new routines, new coffee orders, and new schedules to remember (and hopefully not forget!).

But in the middle of it all, we come together here.

🖤🤍

We’ve noticed something about the stylists who build really successful businesses.

It’s not just their talent.

It’s their willingness to trust, to listen, to try something that feels uncomfortable, and to say yes before they can see exactly where it’s all going.

We know because we’ve watched it happen over and over again.

Nadia’s been named one of the best stylists in the area multiple times. But you’d never know it from her Instagram. (Really, go look.)

She barely uses it, and yet, her days are full, helping people who are in the middle of their lives.

They come back to her. They bring their friends and their families, and they trust her for years.

Today, she doesn’t have to wonder where her next client is coming from.

She built that. And keeps building on it.

We just helped her get there.

🖤🤍

Have you ever had something happen at the salon and just… not known what to do?

You don’t love the result. Something feels off. And you’re sitting there thinking, Do I say something? Do I just let it go? I don’t want to make this awkward.

We know that feeling.

Actually, that’s where our story starts.

One of us had a really bad haircut. But the haircut wasn’t what stuck with us. It was thinking, “I wish there was someone here who could help.”

Someone to take some of the pressure off. Someone to make sure the stylist wasn’t navigating that moment alone, either.

We didn’t have that person.
So we decided we wanted to be that person.

That’s a big part of why we opened our salon. We’re not stylists, and that’s intentional. We’re here to take care of the space, the people in it, and all the little things that make an experience feel different.

Because we’ve been the people who needed someone. And we wanted to become those people for someone else.

-Gabrielle & Ninna

🖤🤍