New salon opens downtown

Jul. 4—LENOIR — On Friday, July 1, the R&R Salon at the Courtney officially opened at 818 West Ave. NW in downtown Lenoir.

Rachel Minish, owner, and her family have recently relocated from Asheville.

"I grew up on a farm out in the middle of the country, so we didn't go to hair dressers," Minish said. "Even though I was a tomboy, I got a job just to do haircuts. But I really had fun doing it. As I got older, I got to experiment more with colors and edgy stuff."

Minish decided to pursue an Associate's degree in cosmetology with the ultimate goal to eventually operate her own salon. After attaining her Associate's, Minish was a stay-at-home mom for about three or four years before her husband was laid off from work due to an injury. At that point, Minish knew that she was ready to open her own salon.

Minish said the initials "R&R" have always held significant meaning for her.

"R&R has always been super special for me because my name is Rachel and my husband's name is Richie," she said. "I even have it tattooed. We've been together for 22 years. We were trying to think of names, and my mom suggested we put my name in there, but I didn't want my name, I think that's a little too much. This building is the Courtney building; it was a department store, a shoe store, it's been so many things and there's been so much history here. One day it just clicked: 'R&R Salon at the Courtney.' It's full circle."

Minish, along with her parents and husband, have done nearly all of the renovation work in the building themselves.

"Everything has been a group effort, the aesthetics, the name, everything," Minish said. "It's really been a bonding experience. The renovation has definitely been a process, and we still have some work to do."

Friday, June 1 was the official opening day of the R&R Salon at the Courtney. Even though Minish and her salon are brand new to this area, she was booked with clients the entire day.

"Friday was my first full day, and it was awesome," she said. "I was booked up with my friends and family who wanted to support me, but people also came by to say hi to me and see the space."

Minish said the support she has received from the community has been "overwhelming."

"We've had so much interest from the community already, and it's been so amazing," she said. "Everybody knows everybody here, and I was really scared at first. But they're amazing. I just hope the community will welcome me with open arms. So far, so good."

Because Minish is currently the only hair dresser in the building, the Salon will initially be open only five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed on Sunday and Monday.

Minish is looking to hire "booth renters" to join her at the Salon.

"We've been actively searching," she said. "I've been posting locally on some of the pages here and in Catawba County ... once we get some chairs filled, I'd like to be open seven days, or six at least."

Minish provides full-service hair options such as coloring, conditioning treatments, perms, cuts, styles, updos, formal hair, and more.

"I travel for weddings, I do extensions, I do braids, I do almost all of it," she said. "I'd like to eventually move to doing nails and facials, stuff that I was trained in school to do but haven't had the opportunity to do."

Minish is excited to become a full member of this community and to participate in all the local activities the city and surrounding areas have to offer. She will be participating in the Blackberry Festival and is looking forward to having a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce in the near future.

"I'm happy to be here," Minish said, "and I appreciate the community's interest in what's happening with an historic building. That shows me that not only are there a lot of locals, but also the locals are very accepting even though I'm not from here."

Follow R&R Salon at the Courtney on Facebook for more information.