May 8, 2017

Meet Josie Grandinetti of Salon G in Northwest Suburbs

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josie Grandinetti.

Josie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I guess you can say it ran in the family. My dad is a barber, I knew I didn’t want to cut men’s hair all day. My cousin at 16 was a hair stylist she was my idol. I started beauty school when I was 14 the summer after I graduated 8th grade I loved it. I finished sophomore year in high school. I was licensed at 16. I have worked at different type of salons in my career. I worked a small independent salon Emilo’s for 6 months. I didn’t really like it I had no clients and the owner took everyone that walked in. I did a manicure client every Friday but I didn’t like doing nails. I then started working at a franchise salon called Fantastic Sams. It was fun we all had fun names, my name was Rocky it was geared for walk ins and children the kids would put their hair in a machine and a toy would come out. I was there for a year and that closed one day on a Saturday no notice or anything. I didn’t understand at the time why all the girls were crying. Now I understand they had bills to pay and start over somewhere else. Then I started working at a salon called Hair Works (owned by Glemby) in the store that used to be called Main Street which is now Kohl’s. I liked it there you could walk around when you weren’t busy and help people in the store and worked there for a while I was promoted to manager and moved to a different store.in Randhurst Mall. Then Kohl’s took over they decided that they could make more money with their merchandise and did not renew Glemby’s lease. Then Ulta stores opened up and had a salon in there and one of the supervisors recruited me to work there. I loved it there too you could help customers with products in the store which intern made them feel comfortable to get their hair done with you. I worked there for ten years. I had my children and worked part time at home and part time at Ulta but one day they cut my pay because I couldn’t work full time and I left. I was looking to open my own salon in Libertville closer to my house I live in Mundelein but the former owners had debts and loans on property so decided it wasn’t the right place. I went to another salon part time in my old area too keep my clients. I loved it there too. It was a bigger independent salon called Hair Directors. I learned a lot from the owner’s inventory management etc again. Then my mother in law got sick and I took care of her for a while and when she recovered and she didn’t need me anymore and my kids were in school. My mom suggested I look for something closer to home there was a salon in Vernon Hills my cousin from earlier worked there and I asked do you think that I could work there also she said why not.

So I met with the owner and she told me the salon was closing in 2 weeks so I made the decision that it was fate. I needed something to fill this void and that is what I did instead of part time employee I became full time owner.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
So when I took over 2008 was the recession not the greatest time to open a business. My husband was let go from his job. He said what are you crazy. I said it is a good time you can be home with the kids and I can dedicate my time to the business work long hours and 7 days and eventually when you go back to work I can work less. My parents had retired and moved close so they could be home for the kids a couple hours before one of us got home. I thought having a business would be hard and trying to get clients would be the hardest but it was trying to get employees and still is. On October 12 2015 my life changed. I was at home doing a cooking project for my daughter’s school. We were going to deep fry something got it all ready the night before and then in the morning we put the pot of oil on stove to get hot. I covered the pot thinking like it takes a while before it will be ready. I lift to lid up and there was a fire straight up to the cabinets, I calmed down and turned off gas covered the pot and waited for a little while. I opened the pot again fire again. My daughter started screaming. I didn’t understand why it kept doing that I decided I had to get the pot outside. I got a towel my daughter opened back door I got half way there and I couldn’t hold it anymore. It spilled on my right hand, my left leg. Right leg. Left foot, and the fire in the pot got me in the face. The oil and fire splattered everywhere got onto the floor and the door. It was a nightmare. I told my son to get the dog and get out. I just wanted to save my house and family so I called 911 and ran upstairs to tell my husband there was a fire and I was hurt to get out. I went in ambulance and on the radio they said there were 2 on their way I said no and then I said Oh my God my daughter. I needed to know she was Ok. I went to the hospital and they decided to fly me by helicopter to Loyola Hospital they specialize in burns. I said can I go to work tomorrow, they said you are not going to work for a while. My right hand wasn’t healing the one I cut with, what am I going to do. They said you have to heal now we will worry about that later. My employee Char worked every day to try and keep Salon G afloat it was difficult and a lot of mix ups with appointments and such. My hair stylist friends from years ago that I worked with came to the rescue it is the busiest time of year. Thank God. My daughter was ok some minor burns from oil it had cooled by the time it got to her and my face healed it’s a miracle. I had to have a skin graft from my left thigh to put on my right hand I had no idea if I could ever work again. The emotional trauma was almost as bad as the injury my daughters guilt and her mom not being there to comfort her I knew that I couldn’t help her and that made me depressed. I had friends and relatives try to help her. I had therapy 3 times a week. In time I got better came back to work Jan 1. I think my recovery helped us both heal mentally. It is a year and a half now and I have taken my compression glove off. I can do everything I’m very grateful for my clients, friends, family, and my husband stood by me and supported my recovery I couldn’t have done it without them. Salon G is still here.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Salon G – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We are small Salon with 6 chair salon a nail station a facial room and a pedicure chair. We specialize in color and extensions. We do it all. We want our clients to be satisfied. We have a great team always listening and trying to give the clients what they want and also suggesting different styles to suit their needs. Char is a barber/stylist she can do color, women’s styles and men and is able to do shaves for men with a razor. I love to do color highlights balayages and ombres I do perms also and haircuts and styles for all. Tina is a jack of all trades hairstyling, color, facials, makeup and nails. We are all great and patient with kids. We are also great at updos for prom and weddings. I’m proud to to call Salon G my own.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I will always do hair that is my passion making people look and feel great. Maybe something a little smaller because I do realize life is short trying to focus on some of the business part of it a little less stress in my life.

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