Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Lowe.
Hi Erika, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my career in the beauty industry as a receptionist, working summers at a salon when I was just 14 years old. This experience allowed me to quickly learn the ins and outs of the business side, from scheduling appointments to keeping the salon stocked. I had the privilege of working alongside women who had been in the industry for over 20 years, learning how to perform as a professional while maintaining a welcoming and inviting atmosphere where clients felt remembered and cared for.
In this business, we often see our clients more than they see their extended families. Remembering their stories, knowing the names of their spouses and kids—that’s how you stand out. It’s about genuinely caring for the people who choose to sit in your chair.
After finishing high school with half of my associate’s degree completed, I went on to earn a degree in Fine Arts. But I realized that I wanted a steady, flexible career that would allow me to relocate if needed, so I pursued cosmetology. Not long after graduating, I discovered my passion for clippers and shears and decided to focus my craft there.
I returned to the salon where I started for a short time but soon realized that the traditional salon environment wasn’t the right fit. Over the next few years, I worked at hourly locations like Great Clips and tried commission-based work at Jude’s Barbershop before moving to Maine, where I experienced booth rental for the first time.
Running my own business out of someone else’s shop in my twenties was empowering. I wish more people in today’s industry had the confidence and resilience to take that same leap.
I moved to Upstate New York three years later and started all over building my clientele. Finding a barbershop that would respect a cosmetologist was difficult. The barbershops I applied at or even worked at prided themselves on being boys’ clubs. Others who have worked in a male-dominated industry will know what I’m talking about.
Eventually, my husband and I decided to move back to my hometown, where I was offered the opportunity to take over an underperforming barbershop.
Since I took over East Side Barbershop in 2019, it has been voted Best Barbershop in Lansing every year—for five years and counting.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Working in a male-dominated industry.
Rebuilding clientele after moving to numerous states.
Finding people who want to pursue booth rental.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about East Side Barbershop ?
Women-owned Barbershop in the heart of Old Town Lansing, MI
East Side Barbershop has been voted Best Barbershop in Lansing since 2020.
The reason is that clients walk out feeling more confident than when they came in.
There’s no secret, just a lot of listening, hard work, and attention to detail.
Another factor is that East Side Barbershop is welcoming to everyone. Everyone.
Throughout the day, conversations with clients touch on every subject from every angle.
We take pride in being inclusive. It’s not just something we say.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
We are all still trying to make it a place where people want to raise kids and get to know the community.
WE haven’t let the city fade away.
People still care about creating gatherings for community members:
Capital City River Run, Beerfest at the Ballpark, Chocolate Walk, Lumberjack festival, Chalk of the Town, Art Feast, Capital City Film Festival, Scrapfest, Dam Jam music festival, the list goes on.
I am so Pleased to be located in OLD TOWN LANSING.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eastsidebarbershop.wixsite.com/home
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/east_side_barbershop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastsidebarbershoplansing
