Beauty and The Beard Salon is a locally owned business with an inspiring story of redemption at its heart. Owner Amber Ross has seen her share of struggles in her life but she has emerged on the other side with a bright future and a desire to help others. The salon at 516 Sunnyside Heights opened in June 2022 and is the culmination of a lifelong dream for Amber and is a place for her to help spread the beauty she hasn't always found in her own journey. "As a recovering drug addict, the world hasn't always been so beautiful or kind to me. I went to prison from Warren County in 2014. After my release a couple years later and a lengthy stay at a recovery center in
Nashville, I knew I eventually wanted to pursue my lifelong dream of being a cosmetologist. However before I could do that, it was vital to me that I learned how to live life sober and be a productive member of society. I stayed in Nashville for a few years after my release doing just that," Amber said.
After working on her- self, Amber eventually turned her attention to her dream of owning her own business but, like so many others' plans, hers were temporarily delayed by a worldwide pandemic.
"In 2019, I moved back home and enrolled in beauty school, but those plans got put on hold due to COVID until June 2020. A year later I graduated from Georgia Career Institute and immediately started working on my plans to open my own salon," Amber said. In June 2022, those plans came to fruition with Beauty and The Beard Salon. It is a full-service salon, offering hair, nails and skin care services. Beauty and The Beard has quickly established a loyal customer base, winning the Southern Standard's Best of the Best Hair Salon award in 2023. For Amber, it's about more than just hair and looks, though.
"In this industry, every single day we get an opportunity to change the way someone looks at themselves in the mirror. We get to give them their confidence back. We get to love them unconditionally. We get to celebrate all of life's wins with them. Things like that are things I didn't get to experience in my life, so for me it's the most important part of what we do. When people ask us what we do at Beauty and The Beard Salon I always tell them, 'We specialize in just loving people well, but we do hair also,'" Amber said.
To put those loving words into action, Beauty and The Beard Salon is offering two Warren County High School seniors a prom of their dreams. "I think that every child should get to experience their senior prom, but there are kids that live here that won't get to experience that for one reason or another. This year my good friend Taylor Hall Richesin and I have partnered to bless two local seniors whose families may not be able to give them the prom experience they deserve due to financial restraints," Amber said. Winners will receive a prom dress, hair, makeup, nails and a professional photography session. To qualify, email beautyn thebeard2022@gmail.com. To be selected, the entrant must be a resident currently enrolled in Warren County High School. "Send us a little back story, contact information and a little bit about your daughter - her hopes, dreams, goals and achievements," Amber said. Entries will be taken until Feb. 11. The winners will be contacted that week to be given details and to schedule the appointments.
"We've had several pe ple reach out about donating their prom dresses and we would love to see other locally owned businesses join us in this effort to make sure every child gets this experience. If you'd like to get involved and sponsor a senior for prom this year, reach out to me for cost information. What a beautiful place this could be if kindness and love was always the answer," Amber said. Beauty and The Beard Salon can be reached at (931) 414-4021.
Steg comes home to open law office
A common lament heard in many small towns is the inability to keep the best and the brightest youth of the community at home. Luckily, McMinnville holds a special lure which brings many of Warren County's native sons and daughters back home after a time away honing their skills. One example of that hopeful trend is the story of local attorney Brandon Steg.
Brandon is a born- and-raised McMinnvillian who graduated from Warren County High School in 2016. He went to MTSU where he earned a political science degree but he always felt the call of law school. "I always followed in my brother, Bradley Steg's, footsteps, then he chose the medical route. I knew I wanted to help people but I wanted to do it in a way that played to my strengths. I thought that was always courtroom advocacy. After MTSU, I went to Belmont from 2019 - 2022. I got my criminal law certificate there," Brandon said. While getting away from home provided him with education and different experiences, Brandon's heart was always leading him back home. "I moved to Nashville and I loved it but I always knew I wanted to come back home to help the people of McMinnville and I've enjoyed it so far," Brandon said.
He was sworn in as an attorney in April 2023 and began his practice at 206 N. Chancery St. short- ly after. "Right now I'm doing criminal defense and family law. I handle child custody and things of that nature, divorces, landlord - tenant disputes, DCS matters, but I'm really trying to focus on criminal defense," Brandon said. Although Brandon is still relatively new, he's been staying busy and credits many of his col- leagues and judges for helping him get started. "Judge Moore and Judge Stanley have treated me with absolute respect and haven't treated me like I'm new at all. I'm happy they've trusted me with the work. It's good experience and I'm enjoying it," Brandon said. Brandon also gives credit to Amanda Gentry, an attorney out of Nashville, who has served as a mentor for him and who owns the building he is currently practicing out of in McMinnville. "All through law school I worked for her and one day she called and asked if I really wanted to come back to McMinnville. I told her that was the plan and she bought that building that we're in now. I'll forever be indebted to Amanda Gentry and everything she's done," Brandon said. Attorney Brandon Steg's office can be reached at (931) 450-4018.
Signs of cooperation
After a wintry week which forced many local businesses to close and lose a week's worth of revenue, it's been encouraging to see an outpouring of support from people making a conscious effort to support locally owned businesses. These businesses are operated by our neighbors and friends and need and deserve our support. It's also encouraging to see local businesses treat each other not as competition but as partners.
As the saying goes, "A rising tide lifts all boats," so businesses helping each other draw attention to themselves is a great thing to see. Recently, three businesses have launched a friendly conversation via signs in their storefront windows. Begoinas Restaurant, Benchmark Physical Therapy and The Vanilla Bean Baking Co. have gone back and forth with hand-written messages. The discourse has brought the Main Street businesses attention as the posts have sparked talk on Facebook and even caught the eye of WTVF Channel 5 in Nashville. A Vanilla Bean sign encouraged Begonia's to "Bring back your BBQ pulled pork pizza!" Benchmark chimed in with, "We agree with the V.B." The ink-and-card- board pleas were effective as, in response, pizza boxes were taped up in the Begonia's window inscribed with, "Hey Vanilla Bean! We have your pulled pork pizza. Name a drink after us!"
Vanilla Bean quickly shot back with, "OK, OK, ask and you shall receive - The Scarlett Begonia." It's Beauty and The Beard opened in June 2022 and is located at 516 Sunnyside Heights. a fun interaction that shows the importance and effectiveness of businesses banding together to help each other. Kudos to local entrepreneurs showing some true small-town teamwork.
Until next week, same biz day, same biz page Thanks for reading. If you have any suggestions for a business for me to feature or if you would like your business to be featured, please call me at (931) 473-2191 or email editor@southernstandard.com.
