HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY…
HAPPY 17TH ANNIVERSARY TO FRESCHE…
HAPPY 30TH YEAR HAIR ANNIVERSARY TO JOI ROOKS!!!
Being in business for 17 years is
something to celebrate!
We started out being a boutique salon catering to our community and our core values
have never changed.
Our location and staff have evolved over the years, but we have always remained true to
why we are here…
to help our clients be the
best versions of themselves.
Thank you for trusting us and for the many relationships that have grown during this time.
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Fresche will be serving mimosas to
celebrate our
17th year anniversary
on 2/14 & 2/15
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Joi Rooks…
30th year Anniversary in the industry!
Here is my story ~
2020 is a milestone in my career so I thought it would be fun to tell you all a bit about my journey to 30 years…
How is that possible? 30 years of doing anything, I can’t be that old! But the truth is it is possible. I began my career in 1990 by going to Cosmetology school after the sudden passing of my father. He had given me some of the best advice in my life when I was younger which I’m not even sure he knew the impact it left on me. One day, while he was working on a car (that’s what he did a lot!) he told me, “baby girl, find what you love to do in life and learn how to make money from it.” This stuck with me deep in my gut somewhere as I watched him work a factory job that took him away from our family working the night shift, just to bring home a paycheck. So, after his passing, I did just that. I had always loved doing my friends hair and make-up, I was “that” girl. My mother had this dream too, before I came along, and went to beauty school too, she just couldn’t finish after having me. So, I picked up where she left off, so to speak.
While going to cosmetology school, I had a cheer friend with the Atlanta Falcon’s cheerleaders that was a very successful hairstylist who owned her own salon. My first mentor in the industry, was Tina Terry Hunt, a Redken Platform artist and a wonderful Color Specialist. She asked me to join her under an Apprenticeship, took me under her wing, gave me an opportunity to have a clientele and learn from the best. How fortunate was I? This truly was the start of my success in this business. I worked for her for 3 years, learning and building my business, until she sold her salon and moved away. Then I went on to work in a salon closer to home, that became my next building block, Modern Hair in Duluth. There, I met many talented stylists and was introduced to the education world and was asked to attend a 2-week boot camp with Sebastian International. Little did I know what all this meant for my career and my future.
It’s funny when you are able to look back on your life and think of all the things that aligned, even when sometimes they didn’t feel that way, to lead you to where you are and all the endless paths and experiences you gain on the way. Again, how fortunate I was.
I attended the boot camp which as it turns out, was actually an audition to become an educator in my craft. At that time, I loved doing hair & makeup and went into this audition thinking I would be a make-up artist, but someone else had other plans. Another mentor to me, was Greg Davis, a passionate and creative hairstylist that saw my potential when I could not. He told me, “I want let you choose make-up over hair, you have a talent that you have to share with others.” So, with his belief in me, I went on to work for Sebastian traveling and teaching other hairstylist globally. That whole chapter in my life is indeed a whole other story on its own! I worked with and learned from the most creative people on the planet and they became new mentors and ultimately lifelong friends. We worked NY fashion week, where I was on the team for Betsey Johnson & Gwen Stefani. The highlight for me of that part of my career was being on a team that traveled the world on a hair tour called “Escape from Mediocracy.” It was incredible. Paris, Japan and everywhere in the United States, we were literally hair rock stars. And… how fortunate was I?
I’m skipping a lot of details with this, but I want to try to include all the Big things I’ve done in this 30 year of hair. I was busy traveling and teaching and working on stage at shows, but also, I was a stylist in the salon. I hadn’t planned on being a salon owner, only a stylist. I knew that owning would require more time, more energy and more work, when I looked at my craft as something I loved to do and didn’t want to take away from that, but circumstances presented changed that. I worked for someone that asked me to become a partner with them due to my experiences on the corporate side and education. We opened a Salon, Spa & Coffee Bar in Atlanta. You may know the name, Ty Pennington – he has a show on TV about building houses for people. Ty is from Atlanta and built our coffee bar. I also had the idea to create an on-line booking module for our website, so I collaborated with a tech savvy client and we were the first salon in Atlanta to have anything like this. Now everyone does.
This time, I wasn’t as fortunate…as it turns out being a partner wasn’t that great. So, we parted ways and thus fresche was born. In 2003, I opened fresche in a Historic old movie theater building in Grant Park. It was funky, quirky, and attracted a diverse clientele. Perfect.
In this process, I became the Mentor to many. I have apprenticed, trained and launched many top stylist careers in Atlanta.
Around 2010, I became a Platform Artist with KMS/Goldwell through my many connections I made earlier in my career. Continuing my personal quest to be the best I could be in my own craft and helping others elevate their own skill set. Again, I was surrounded by the best of the best, from Simon Miller to Lori Panarello and so many others. We worked together, traveling, doing hair shows, webinars, classes, photo shoots and runway. You are receiving on-going continued education as an artist and personal development when you are on a team like this. One more fortunate experience in my life.
My salon business has evolved throughout this time as I moved from Grant Park to Decatur where we flourished for 10 years. We were voted the Best in Atlanta for color and men’s grooming after only being open 2 years.
We ultimately opened our Stone Mountain location on a hunch. In 2012, after driving by this little ranch home that was for rent, not having any plans of opening another salon, I made the phone call to inquire. I just knew this would work. I opened my third location (and now only) in February on Valentine’s Day with champagne taste (the expensive kind!) but on a real cheap beer budget! Seriously, the sun, moon and stars all aligned for this and it was a chance I just had to take! We had recently moved to the area, and I saw a need.
We started out small and renting and we grew. Within two years, we were outperforming my Decatur location…WHAT? No way. Yep.
So, we upgraded things, did some more renovating and were able to purchase the building; something I had always wanted to be able to do as a business owner.
So, here we are. 2020, celebrating 17 years in business and our 8th year here in Stone Mountain. Fortunate for sure!
In the middle of all of this I married my partner, who has supported me through all of my crazy dreams and I became a mom to two beautiful spunky spirited little girls (imagine that!)
I still dream. There is so much more I want to do, and I’ll keep pushing myself and my business and anyone who joins me forward. I have spent the last year and half working on me, my health and how I treat my body and it’s paying off (something I neglected for years!) Now, I’m sharing that with others and want to help as many as possible to do the same.
I’ve learned so much in this life as a hairstylist.
What not to do. When to take a leap of faith. When to listen to your gut. And I have never stopped growing. Someone told me once, when you think you know it all, you’re done. I’m not done but I have always been willing to share my knowledge with anyone who will listen.
30 years of that…I feel very fortunate and grateful for all of the opportunities and the people who lifted me up, believed in me and pushed me.
Happy Anniversary to me & fresche!
Joi
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Fresche Face & Body
Our new services are a great addition to
your salon day!
Also, don’t forget…Gift Certificates are available to be purchased online
http://squareup.com/gift/YY5ER4HBZQMB4/order
Services will include:
Spa Facials
Makeup lessons/consultations/applications
Hair Removal (Full Body)
Express facials & Makeup – clean & sustainable products!
Aligning with our mission statement to always offer the
best for you & our world in goods & services.
We are so happy to offer our new Arbonne skincare & makeup. These products are truly all about
what they leave out in their ingredients.
Schedule for a skin consult, an express facial
or makeup lesson
