By Boyana Peeva
VALDOSTA — It’s the same Image, just at a new location. The Image Salon moved to 1900 C-D Gornto Road on Oct. 3, and merged with what used to be LeSalon. The owners of LeSalon were selling the facility, and at the same time Angie Walker, owner of Image, was looking to relocate after having her salon for years at Sugar Creek plaza.
“It’s been seven years since I opened my salon, so it was time for a change,” Walker said. “The new place is better — business has increased and it’s more visual.”
Walker has been in the hair business for 14 years. Her friendly and cozy work place as well as experienced stylists have attracted regular customers who remain loyal and continue their visits at the new place. Walker said that as a result of moving, she has many new customers as well.
Throughout the years, she has learned that keeping a positive atmosphere and providing personalized service is the way to keep her clientele.
“I’m a Christian, and I promote a positive atmosphere, and I like to be inspirational for my customers,” Walker added. “All the girls (the stylists) feel very relaxed here but are still professional.”
According to her, all the stylists there spend so much time together that they feel like sisters and share excitements and failures.
“We probably spend more time together than we do with our families,” she said.
Image salon offers full hair service, manicure, pedicure, tanning, facial waxing and detoxification. Yet, the focus is hair.
“There is nothing we can’t do with hair here,” she said.
In addition to providing excellent service to her customers, she takes good care of her employees as well. Thirteen stylists work at Image, and a couple of them are apprentices whom she is training to become professional.
“I focus on teaching these girls, rather than them getting out of school and not knowing what they are doing,” she said.
Walker has also provided space for children. This way, mothers can visit the salon and let their kids play or watch a movie in a secure environment while they are getting their hair done.
Image salon is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is located at 1900 C-D Gornto Rd.. For more information, call (229) 249-8793.
The stylists currently working at Image are Jackie Keene, April Davis, Missy Green, Kristy Goss, Linda Browning, Edie Jones, Salena Register, Amber Robinson, Regina Morrison, Stephanie Miller, Julia Walker and Angie Walker. Latticha Wilkes is a receptionist and an apprentice.
