Name of business: Love Salon

Type of business: Beauty salon

Location: 3065 N. Tegner Rd., Turlock

Hours: By appointment only

Contact information: 209-678-5377

Specialty: In-salon training sessions

History of business:

As a child, Esmeralda Esquivel would sit her little brother down in a chair and pretend to do his hair. She’d toss out different salon names at him, like “Pink Dot Salon” or “Dollhouse Salon,” determined to utilize the ideas one day when she realized her dream of opening her own business.

She didn’t end up choosing any of the names she excitedly told her brother all those years ago, but this month the Turlock resident celebrated the one-year anniversary of her first business venture, Love Salon.

“It’s been crazy, stressful and nothing but work, work, work, but this is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl,” Esquivel said. “I always knew I would do it, but it was always a matter of life’s timing.”

Love Salon opened in June 2018, offering hair services in addition to lash extensions, waxing and facials. The salon’s name came from Esquivel’s knack for placing a personal touch on ever head of hair she styles, she said.

“When you write a letter, at the end of the letter you usually say, ‘With love, Esmeralda,’” she said. “I felt like every client I see and all of the hair that I do, I’m doing it with love.”

Love Salon features an open, airy floorplan, with greenery-inspired décor, inspired by a southern California restaurant Esquivel fell in love with, she said. The large space allows Esquivel and her crew to utilize the location in a variety of ways, the most often of which is hosting classes with industry professionals in order to help employees learn techniques and be the best version of themselves they can be. In addition to these cosmetology-related classes, Esquivel also brings in business-savvy instructors to teach lessons on taxes and other useful tips.

“There isn’t a lot of education around here, and you usually have to travel to bigger cities to learn and evolve,” Esquivel said. “I wanted to bring that to the Central Valley.”

Another goal Esquivel had when opening Love Salon was creating a space where talent could flourish, she said — and there’s plenty of it amongst her stylists. Each hair stylist at Love Salon has their own specialty, whether it be extensions, color or bridal and event styling, she said.

“I was very picky with who was going to be working here. They’re all so talented,” Esquivel said. “This is what they do — they don’t do anything else.”

Throughout her first year of business, there have been highs and lows, Esquivel said, but at the end of the day, the relationships she’s made have been the most rewarding part.

“People bring their family and their friends to see you, and all of a sudden you’re invited to all of these baby showers and weddings that you can’t even keep track of,” she said. “I love meeting all of the people. I have clients from all of the cities around here, and it’s so nice because you build friendships.”