Salon owner puts color back into hair-cutting business

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C.T. Kruger

Jennifer Schneider, owner of Trend Salon at 12229 W. North Ave., began an apprenticeship in hair at the age of 17 and has been in the industry ever since. Schneider opened her salon in October.

C.T. Kruger

Jennifer Schneider, owner of Trend Salon at 12229 W. North Ave., began an apprenticeship in hair at the age of 17 and has been in the industry ever since. Schneider opened her salon in October.

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While it's not uncommon for girls to love to play with their dolls' hair, few grow up to make a career out of it and own their own business.

Jessica Schneider is the owner of Trend Salon in Wauwatosa and, at the age of 28, she is already an 11-year veteran in the business. Graduating early from high school, she began an apprenticeship with Ted Berry, owner of Hair Colour to Go in Elm Grove, at the age of 17.

After 10 years, Schneider felt ready and able to rent her own space at a salon in Wauwatosa. However, she began shopping for her own furniture and equipment to open her own salon during that time and shortly thereafter truly struck out on her own, opening Trends in October.

"We are a smaller salon, but feel we are really distinguished by our attention to our customers," Schneider said. "We will meet with a client first to discuss what they'd like done before any service is performed. That way, we're able to let them know what we suggest they need and how much it will cost, and that part of the process is free."

In addition, she said Trend further distinguishes itself from other salons by its product offerings.

"We are more of a European-style salon, which means we offer more than one product line, and much of that product is about natural ingredients," she said.

For example, a line called United Eurotherapy is marketed as100 percent vegan, and the formula keeps customers' hair from feeling like there's too much product in it, according to Schneider.

While the tenure at Berry's salon was "intense," Schneider said she learned a lot from the experience. By the time she was 22, she was training new apprentices and managing the salon.

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Just the facts

NAME: Trend Salon

OWNER: Jessica Schneider

ADDRESS: 12229 W. North Ave.

PHONE: (414) 777-0750

WEBSITE: trendsalon.org

HOURS: Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (later by appointment); Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.