Sweet Melissa Salon
Starring Melissa McNabb. Photo by @jasonmyersphoto
…TO SWEET MELISSA
Thank God for credit cards, Music Row, and Brigitte Bardot.
Nashville since 2015.
Less than three years ago, Melissa McNabb owned a hair salon in her home state of North Carolina. Comfortable & content, she’d carved out a successful business and life for herself. But frequent visits to Nashville with friends in 2015 would ultimately lead to a change of scenery. " I owned a salon in North Carolina and I pretty much just closed it and came here. There was such a draw to Nashville…such energy here…so I said, well, I’m just gonna just start over." In November of that year, Melissa made the leap and moved to Nashville after being offered a job at a popular salon in town.
One evening while enjoying a familiar jog down Music Row, Melissa spotted a building for rent. Deciding that the time was right to step out on her own, she signed a lease and opened Sweet Melissa Salon in February of 2017. “I knew it was way out of my league. In the first three months, I was in there alone, working three stations by myself and it was a struggle…trying to build clients and living off credit cards.” The turning point came that summer after Melissa had the opportunity to work with artists that walked the red carpet at CMA Fest. “I think that had a cool draw for girls wanting to come in, and by July I had three girls working there.”
STYLE II – Classic Structured Twill Cap w/Versa Visor. Custom Woven Applique Front Logo. #EveryHatHasAStory
“The thing that keeps me in it…is the joy it gives somebody. When I see them smile after they look in the mirror and say, ‘Man, I look beautiful!’…that makes me want to make them happy because sometimes, that’s the best thing of their whole month. ”
Walk in Sweet Melissa Salon today and you’ll immediately notice black & white images of The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Stevie Nix, and of course Brigitte Bardot, who Melissa describes as her ‘hair idol.’ The sign to the right of the entryway shows her unique bee logo, an image she chose because the name ‘Melissa’ comes from the Greek word for honeybee. Melissa’s late father, who passed away when she was a baby, was a musician and named her after the Allman Brothers classic, Melissa, a song that has always held a very special place for her and a theme that melodiously resonates throughout the private, peaceful and quaint vibe of the salon.
Melissa says she has always aspired to style country music artists’ hair for a living. From childhood ambition to now living her dream on Music Row, the talented entrepreneur says she’s excited to steadily grow her ‘eclectic’ business in a city she now calls home. “Most of my clients have actually become my friends…Once you get here and doors start opening up, your reasons start coming together and you’re like ‘this is why I’m here.’"
“…but, back home he’ll always run, to sweet Melissa.”
ABOUT SWEET MELISSA SALON
We offer a wide range of hair services, special occasion hair and makeup, waxing, men's cuts and styles, and on-location availability for weddings, photo shoots, video shoots and more. From the red carpet to weddings or just looking good for a night out on the town, we've done it all. (cited from http://musicrowsalon.com)
Follow @sweetmelissasalon