Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Keele.
Hi Kimberly, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Kimberly Keele, I am the owner of Legends Hair Salon and Boutique. Doing hair and making people feel beautiful and confident has always been a passion of mine! It’s not just about the hair services for me, it’s about an experience of getting away from your stresses of life, and taking a moment for yourself in the salon to feel beautiful, and then leave feeling refreshed.
My story began when I was a senior in high school, I was attending hair school during that time because I’d always known I wanted to do hair- I loved it then, and I still do! I graduated with my cosmetology license just a few short months after high school and was ready to start my career in the cosmetology world.
My career as a Cosmetologist began in 2004 after graduating from Evans Hairstyling College. Legends Salon was one of the first hair salons I worked in. Owning it has really been a full-circle moment for me! I worked there for several years before moving up north for college, where I attended the University of Utah and got my bachelor’s degree.
After school, I moved back to St. George and was doing hair at a local salon when I received a phone call from the owners of Legends Salon telling me they were thinking of selling the salon and wanted to know if I was interested in buying it. Of course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, it was like my next move was placed in front of me. I said yes, and the rest is history. My goal has always been to own a salon of my own someday and to own the salon where I started my journey is a dream come true!
I bought Legends Salon in October of 2018, and went to work with remodeling and bringing it up to date! I have a passion for decorating so it was fun for me to combine my two passions of hair and decorating all into one space! I added new products to our retail shelves including Kevin Murphy and Davines, hired a few more cosmetologists, added aesthetics in the back of the salon, added a clothing boutique and so on.
We currently have 13 stylists and 1 esthetician at our salon, many of whom have been at Legends since the beginning. I am lucky to have walked into such an amazing group of powerhouse women, who are incredibly talented!
I grew up in a family that has owned several businesses so I like to say owning is in my blood, but I’ve still had much to learn on my journey. As I mentioned, owning a salon of my own was always the goal. That all started with my grandpa encouraging me to own one someday! He was a great businessman and an example to me; I strive to be like him someday. He is my inspiration!
Owning Legends has been an absolute dream come true, and has helped me to learn and grow in so many ways! We recently added a boutique to the front of our salon and are now selling clothing and accessories for clients coming in! It’s the perfect combo when you’re feeling beautiful from getting your hair done, to grab something new to wear. You leave the shop feeling like a new person all around!
Legends has been in business since 1995, so about 27 years now! It got its name from Hollywood Legends, so in our shop you’ll find photos of legendary celebrities like James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe! Our goal is to be timeless, and classy like those people! I love owning Legends, and being able to do hair there! I love being able to carry on the name and vibe of the salon that was set before me and am grateful to the previous owners for trusting me enough to pass the torch to me to continue their business. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The process of owning the salon has been a relatively smooth one. Luckily, we have an incredible team which helps things to run smoothly. We have created a welcoming environment for clients and new stylists alike! There have been learning curves with running a business and things that I didn’t know before, but I am learning new things every day to help me be a better business owner and leader!
Of course, every experience has its obstacles! In my early years one of those obstacles was building my clientele and getting my name out there! It took a couple of years to build a solid clientele base but now I have several clients who have followed me to the salon and are loyal and keep coming back!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a hairstylist behind the chair my specialty is blonding! I pride myself in my work and am a perfectionist in every project or hair color that I do! I want my clients to feel confident in how their hair turns out, so I go the extra mile to make sure they are happy! Of course, I love doing all hair colors and working with many hair types!
As a salon, we do many services and are known for having stylists that are experienced, professional, and have good customer service! You can rest assured that when you come into our salon you’ll be in good hands! Our stylists are very talented, and we take pride in our work!
We offer all kinds of services, such as styling, cutting, coloring, perming, waxing, facials, and so much more!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I would say to be patient with yourself, we all have to start somewhere, and building a clientele takes time, but it will come. Do what you can to market yourself, and follow up with every client that sits in your chair! That has been a huge help for me throughout my career! People love to know that they’re cared about and that you take their hair seriously, and take pride in your work. While in hair school I had a friend tell me to give every client 110%, and I strive to do that. I would pass that same advice onto you!
For those starting or buying a business my advice would be to follow your instinct but also be patient in waiting for the right timing. My business opportunity came about when the timing was right, after many years of searching for how to reach my end goal, and then one day everything just fell into place when it was the right time. Work hard, but also trust in the timing!
Contact Info:
- Website: legendssalonstg.com /
shoplegendsboutique.com - Instagram: @legends.hair / @shoplegendsboutique
Image Credits
Brittany Ence
Merrick Cranmer
Shala Bronson
