Modern Beauty celebrates 30 years

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — When Modern Beauty Salon celebrated its 30th anniversary recently, a couple hundred clients, friends and family members turned out for a grand gala at the business’ Main Street location in Market Square where there was a fun-filled atmosphere of giving and getting presents. Flowers, balloons, hors d’oeuvres, door prizes, and gifts for clients added to the festive atmosphere for owner Pilsbury and staff. STYLING —  Surrounded by good wishes, flowers and balloons at the open house celebrating the 30-year anniversary of Modern Beauty Salon are, from left: Allison Baber, stylist; Linda Pilsbury, owner and DeAnna Mayo, stylist.
   Well-wishers signed up for prize drawings, discounted beauty services and sales on products in addition to sending owner Linda Pilsbury and staff gifts to celebrate her long running success that has kept clients coming back year after year.
    “I have been here 24 years myself and I have owned it for 14 years come August,” said Pilsbury who added that some of her clients have been patronizing Modern Beauty since it opened 30 years ago. “My clientele are wonderful.” Pilsbury also said she and the stylists, Allison Baber and DeAnna Mayo, get along and “we have a great time.”
    Pilsbury says her two stylists perform a full range of services always catering to their customers with individual attention. Baber, with six years’ experience in the industry, has been working at Modern Beauty for about three years. Lively and fun-loving, she says she especially likes to do color corrections. “When people mess up I like to clean it up. I’m the cleaner,” says Baber with a smile. “Life is too short and that’s why I like to laugh.”
    Mayo, with four years’ experience as a hairdresser has been on staff for a little over a month. She also handles the full range of services. She says people want professional help with their new look. “The inverted bob is very popular. People just want fresh new styles,” according to Mayo.  
    With a front and back door to the property, Pilsbury and staff have their fair share of walk-ins in addition to regulars with appointments. But, she says they manage to take care of spur-of-the-moment clients, with the customer service that makes for a loyal following.
ALL SMILES — Enjoying the festivities at the 30-year anniversary of Modern Beauty are from left: Jane Milton, Melissa Berube, Katherine Berube and Evan Berube.
    “People will walk in and I’ll run out back and say ‘DeAnna, Allison do you have time?’ We have a great location.” When Pilsbury says being cordial and giving great customer service has to be more than lip service judging by the constant stream of women who stopped in for the open house with their friends, children and significant others. Yes, there were even a few men who stopped in to say hello.
    An interesting footnote to the story is the spelling of owner Pilsbury’s name. She says her husband’s ancestors are related to the famous Pillsbury flour family. But, due to an argument back in the 1500s, she says her husband’s family dropped one “l,” hence, the spelling of her married name.