2014 SILVER CITY SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT WNMU CLIENT OF THE YEAR.
Curl Up & Dye
The pressures of running a full service salon can be high. First is the competition. It’s hard for a customer to leave her long time stylist and try someone new. Second is the labor. Finding licensed stylists in a small community is a challenge. Third is the demand. Times have been economically tough in Southwest New Mexico.
All this and the average salon owner might want to curl up and die. Kelly Trinkle-Thai is not your average salon owner.
In 2009, Trinkle-Thai was employed at a Silver City salon. She had the desire to open a place of her own so she reached out to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Western New Mexico University.
“It would have taken longer to open without the Small Business Development Center,” Trinkle-Thai said. “They helped me out in planning out the business not only financially but everything else from start to finish.”
With a helping hand a strong desire to achieve her dreams, Trinkle-Thai opened her doors in historic Downtown Silver City on December 3, 2009. From the beginning, Curl Up & Dye has set itself apart from the competition.
From its unique name to the graffiti style art on the salon walls, the salon gives the essence of a modern, chic and cutting edge place.
“We regularly travel to hair shows,” says Trinkle-Thai about her team’s professional development. “Our team is modern in their look and styles.”
Trinkle-Thai is also connected to the community. Her salon participates in university events, arts council programs, and downtown socials. Charities benefit from Curl Up & Dye’s community outreach as well. The business was recently involved in the American Cancer Society’s “Look Good, Feel Better” program where women undergoing cancer treatment were treated to a day at the salon.
Her unique style and successful networking have lead to consistent growth in the last three years. On day one, Trinkle-Thai was a team of one just one – herself. Today, her salon is busy with six hair cutting chairs consistently full. Her salon offers manicures and pedicures, full body waxes, tanning, spray ran, massages, facials and a sauna.
What’s next for Curl Up & Dye? With its large palette of colors and accents, the business has decided to go green. Plans are in the works to install solar panels and to integrate the use of locally made products as well as a larger effort to increase recycling within the store.