From its first shop of 500, or maybe 600 square feet if you're generous, to its current location of 1,500 square feet with room for five stylists, for Milan, the Style Shop, the past 10 years have been one of steady growth.
This year marks the 10th anniversary in downtown Kalamazoo for Shannon and Jason Milan, owners of the salon at 217 S. Kalamazoo Mall.
Moving from a small space on Burdick Street to the Kalamazoo Mall was not only about getting a better location and more visibility. Jason Milan says the couple love being in the downtown where business has exploded over the past several years.
"There's so much energy downtown. We've been to bigger cities, and we like the buzz downtown. We like meeting the people we see daily and interacting with people we know. The Mayor walks by. Other business owners go about their business, picking up their tailoring.
"We've been to Portage and to Crossroads Mall. We prefer to spend most of our time in an urban setting with businesses that have personality. It's a place I can call my own," Jason says.
Shannon got her start at two well-known salons downtown, Trombley and Andrew Beth, where she got a foundation in the business. Inspired by the highly successful business owners in her family--her uncles are Joe Gesmundo, owner of AVB Builders and Jack Gesmundo, owner of Hawks Hollow Builders--Shannon wanted to open her own salon.
At the time, Jason was scheduled to head to college to get his degree and go into teaching. Instead he found he wanted to work in the salon at the front desk, and that is where he has continued to work to this day. "I just love running my own business and being part of a really cool thing," Jason says.
He draws his inspiration from business owners like Rich Munda of Martini's restaurant and Jamie Kavanaugh of O'Duffy's Tavern and Cosmo's. "You see them all the time (at their places of business). They get to know people, to be around, and to be part of the business.That's what I've wanted to do."
Shannon's family has offered advice and looked out for the two when they were fledgling business owners. Jason says that when they opened the first shop they made a few mistakes. But during the economic downturn they learned how to run on a lean budget and when it came time to move to the next level they were ready.
Ultimately, they decided to purchase their location on the Kalamazoo Mall, the former site of an upscale retailer knowns as the Style Shop. As an homage to that business the Milans took that name for their salon. Shannon decorated the space and the couple worked diligently to achieve the look they wanted there.
The new space allowed them to expand their retail offerings. In keeping with their convictions, Milans' retail products are made by Aveda, products that are 97 percent derived of natural plants, minerals and botanicals, and made by a company dedicated to environmental stewardship.
One constant through the 10 years of business has been the quality of the stylists that have worked for them, Jason says. "We have really talented people working with us," Jason says.
The Milans like the intimate size of their current space, but also are looking ahead to a time when a second shop or franchise might be in their future.
In preparation for that future, Shannon has enrolled in Kalamazoo College where she is taking business and psychology classes and is scheduled to graduate in two years, when she will fulfill a lifelong dream to get her degree.
What has been part of the secret to their downtown success?
"We are really, really dedicated to providing top-notch service," Jason says, "and what we provide is super professional and we provide it in an upscale, relaxed environment. Because we are owner operated people know they are going to be dealing with the owners when they come in."
Source: Jason Milan, Milan, the Style Shop
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.