MARYSVILLE — “Hi, I’m here for a trim, but I brought my own shears,” Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring joked, as he brandished the city of Marysville’s oversized scissors to cut the ribbon marking the official grand opening of The Competition Hair & Tanning Salon at its latest location, in Suite B at 1059 State Ave. in Marysville, on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
“This is my fifth location in Marysville,” said Deanna Evans, who first opened The Competition in town in 1985. “I kept outgrowing all my previous locations.”
With close to half a dozen employees at her new location, Evans is able to offer The Competition’s widest range of services yet, including aesthetician treatments by April Badgley, the licensed massage practitioner skills of Tom Myers, cosmetology by salon co-owner Monica Smith, the nail technician expertise of Julie Grey, and Evans’ own know-how at working with men’s facial hair, which she’s honed as a licensed barber instructor.
“We also do facials and waxing, as well as birthday and wedding parties,” said Evans, whose salon is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. “I’ve been in this town forever, so it’s also one of my goals to cross-promote with other businesses in town, because I know how difficult it is to be a small business. I’ve always tried to shop locally within Marysville as much as I can.”
Evans believes even more strongly in currying favor with her own customers as with her fellow Marysville business owners.
“We pamper the heck out of them,” Evans said. “We treat them the way we’d want to be treated, with five-star service. We want to be involved in the community and helping everyone we can, too, whether it’s giving free haircuts to kids at this year’s Dalmatian Drive, or pitching in for Poochapalooza.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, when asked what drew her to the beauty arts in the first place, Evans said it’s all about the people she meets.
“I love to be around them, and to make them smile,” Evans said. “Making people feel good about themselves is still something that I enjoy, nearly 30 years after I got into this business.”
“I have a soft spot for barbers,” Nehring laughed, noting his own meticulously trimmed crewcut. “We’re obviously thrilled every time a business opens in town, but it was especially exciting to watch these folks get ready right across the parking lot from City Hall. It’s a measure of how well-thought-of they are that they’re already busy with customers at this location.”
For more information, call The Competition Hair & Tanning Salon at 360-653-5235.
