Three Bowls of Color, a hair salon based in Newport News, opened its second salon location in downtown Hampton on May 7.
“Hampton made sense because a lot of our stylists live in Hampton,” said Shannon Towler, 47, one of the four salon owners.
One of the stylists asked the owners if they would open a second location and pitched Hampton as a possible spot for another salon, Towler added, citing many of the salon’s clients are all of the Hampton Roads area, including Virginia Beach.
Towler and her two friends, Dawna D’Urso, 51, and Rebekkah Christoe, 48, worked as stylists in a hair salon for years before they decided to open their own place in Newport News 16 years ago.
Their salon, Three Bowls of Color, was named from the song, Four Bowls of Color by Red Letter Day, the stylists’ favorite band.
Before becoming hairstylists, Towler studied psychology, D’Urso was studying special education, and Christoe was in college also.
Each woman was drawn to hair in some way, shape or form, from general curiosity to trading free haircuts for a six-pack of beer.
“This industry is the most amazing industry to make a career,” Christoe said. “We get to make people feel beautiful and feel good.”
“Shannon is my longest relationship I’ve ever had,” D’Urso said.
Caitlin Hanselman, the salon’s fourth owner, started as a receptionist at Three Bowls of Color 11 years ago and now manages the business side of the salon.
“I never thought when I first started 10, 11 years ago, that I would be a partner,” Hanselman said. “This weird quirky love we all have for each other –– I love every single one of them.”
Three Bowls of Color, 19 E Queens Way, is open every day. To book an appointment, call 757-890-3090.