Customers out of Chairs, Candles in the Homes

PUYALLUP, WASH -Piper + Co Hair and Lash Salon make and sell candles to make ends meet while their chairs are empty.

Elyse Hearns is the owner of Piper + Co Hair and Lash Salon, and has recently celebrated the four year anniversary of the salon. Elyse has been styling hair for years, but decided to open her own salon to gain a sense of control

“A group of girls and I wanted to be in control of our own storefront, our own brand. So we got together and we thought as long as we pay our taxes, pay our rent, pay our employees and products, and everything else necessary we’ll be doing but looking at us now…it really shows you how little control we had,” Hearns said.

That control was lost when Governor Jay Inslee gave the salons and stylists until midnight to close their storefronts.

“We were all in the salon…and we called as many customers as we could…we didn’t know when we would open up again, so I had about three customers going at a time,”  Hearns said.

After locking up the storefront at midnight, Hearns returned home to her husband and three young kids and was at a loss of what to do. Without wasting time, she and other stylists began selling products to their customers and leaving them on front porches.

Customers soon asked if their candles were for sale, which we had taken home from the salon, Hearns said. Before they began promoting their candles, Piper + Co made 90 percent of their profit from hair care, and now about 90 percent of our profit is from candles, Hearns said.

While Hearns and the rest of the stylist wait until they can get customers back in the chair, they continue to make candles and deliver products to their customers in the Puyallup Area.