Balance Hair Salon, located on 18 Erie Street in downtown Jersey City, is unlike any salon in the area. It is a far shot away from the all-white decor salons that play ambient trance music and charge extravagant prices that many of us are used to going to in the metropolitan area. At Balance, the walls and floors are decorated with colorful murals of aliens and peace signs, the soundtrack is usually some 70’s punk or 80’s pop music, and the outside window proudly boasts, “We Fix $250 Haircuts!” and “Our Haircuts Will Get You Laid!”
Carla Anderson, the outspoken and animated proprietor of the salon, recently started peddling sex toys to interested clientele. She uses the salon to showcase local artists and musicians. She even broadcasts the goings-on of the salon to the rest of Jersey City in her local-access television series, Groovy! At 18 Erie.
What I would like to know is what prompted Anderson to open up all of these different business ventures in one centralized location, and what do her clients and employees think of her decision to do so. I would also like to find out how her shop is doing in this state of economic turmoil.
A June art event held at Balance Hair Salon