Describe your business in one sentence.

We are a boutique hair salon, independently owned and located on the south end of Mercer Island.

Are you an Islander? How did you decide to open a business on Mercer Island?

We do not live on the Island, but we consider ourselves part of the community. At our previous jobs, we worked near Mercer Island, and we heard lovely things about the clients on the Island. The original owner of Salon 106, who is part of our Vietnamese community, had to move away from the area, so we saw a good opportunity to grow by owning our business.

Do you remember the moment or time when you told yourself, “I have to do this”?

Tina and I were talking about next steps towards owning Salon 106, and she said, "Anna, we will love being able to be part of Mercer Island's businesses, and we'll love meeting all the loyal clients that Salon 106 has." That's when we knew we had to do this!

What makes your business so unique?

We are very hard working and honest. We came to Salon 106 with experience in the industry.

What was your experience adapting to the new COVID reality?

It was stressful, but we were confident we could make it through because of our clients, who are so loyal and very supportive. We continue to tell our clients that. We worked quickly to make sure we were providing the cleanest and healthiest environment for our clients. Luckily there were many resources of information for us.

We often say innovation comes from questioning the status quo. Have you uncovered new ways of doing business or launched new products/services that you had not thought of before? How did it work out?

We are always working on new ways to run our business with efficiency. We carry salon care products, not available in regular stores, and we carry beautiful jewelry and accessories. While these are not new to us, they are an important part of our business and our salon atmosphere. We encourage anyone to come by and see what we have.

If there was a single product, service, or expertise you should be known for, what would you say it is?

We are definitely known for our hair cuts and color. We stay up-to-date on styles and trends.

Tell us something about your business that would surprise us.

We have been friends and business partners for 17 years. We depend on each other, and we support each other. We are true collaborators. We are proud of that.

Since you’ve been in business on Mercer Island, what have you discovered about Islanders and the Mercer Island community in general?

Mercer Islanders are very supportive of small businesses. They want us to be successful, but they want us to be the very good at what we do. We rise to that occasion.

What is your favorite spot on Mercer Island?

The South End. You see families walking. It’s dog-friendly. Small businesses are here, and our clients enjoy coming to the South End.

When you are not working, what is your favorite pastime?

We love to go for walks in our local neighborhood or for an easy hike.

If you had to convince a non-Islander to come discover our town, what would you tell them?

There are so many parks and places to walk around. There are lots of businesses to visit, and we especially like the Mercer Island Thrift Shop and Mercerdale Park, which is right next to the Thrift Shop and is a lovely place to walk and has a good area for kids to play or skateboard.

Learn more about Salon 106 at www.hairsalon106.com.