Nancy and Ed Brown Reflect on 50 Years of Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa

When Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa opened in 1975, it was an anomaly as a space for both men and women to share in the art of styling hair. Founder Nancy Brown’s fierce passion helped her run a rapidly growing business alongside her husband, Ed, and no matter where success took them, their hearts were always embedded in their flagship Mentor location and neighboring Brown Aveda Institute. As the company celebrates 50 years of innovation and creative liberty, the Browns reflect on the moments that have kept them grounded.

Nancy Brown: I always loved to do hair. I entered a contest when I was 15 and got my tuition paid to attend Mary Rutherford’s Lake Erie School for Cosmetology. I looked up to her a lot. When I got done with school, they asked me to be a junior instructor. I was 17, in a room teaching styling to people who were in their 30s.

NB: In the very beginning, men weren’t allowed to come to the salon. They would go to the barbershop. When that law changed in 1975 was when I opened my salon in th Painesville Shopping Center. The Barbershops’ Union was mad.

NB: I saw all over town people would have everything named after themselves. My philosophy was, Once you put people under your name, they’re never going to go above it. My main thing was giving people an opportunity. I would rather stay here and make sure everything was running smoothly, and send people to other places. I thought, If everyone was better than me, that would be a good thing.

NB: My particular reason for naming my salon Ladies & Gentlemen was so men would know they could come in. Back then, Ed was a customer.

Ed Brown: I’ve got this unruly curly hair, and I was always self-conscious about it. Every place I would go, I could tell they didn’t seem too excited about doing my hair. I finally got fed up. Someone mentioned Nancy’s salon, and I got treated like I was the best customer in the world. She was very interested in doing my hair, talking about the products to use. She loved it.

EB: I worked at the Cleveland Clinic, but I always had a longing to do something of my own. Nancy needed help with the business side of the salon, and I had experience with human resources. She asked me to become a partner, and I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

EB: Nancy always wanted to open a cosmetology school. Everybody told us not to do it; the schools were really bad. I thought it was a no-brainer. We were the first Aveda school in Ohio. I really think our legacy is going to be the opportunities that we gave students, whether they’ve opened their own business or they’re working up the street.

EB: That allowed us to open up in Legacy Village and a school in Rocky River (now Strongsville). Then, Aveda came to us and asked us to expand to Chicago in 2010, when the economy was bad. We had to carry it for a while before we left in 2017. Honestly, of all of our locations, even Chicago, Mentor has always been the one that’s generated the most retail service. We’re really a destination.

EB: You have to be resilient. Yesterday’s gone. Tomorrow’s not here. So you just do the best you can every single day, and things will work out.

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NB: I have never, in 50 years, reconsidered what I was going to do. And we don’t really have any plans to retire, because right now, people are living longer. What are you gonna do for the next 50 years?

NB: The one habit that I have is getting up in the morning and doing some kind of reflection on my life. I look around and I think, If I’m not grateful for what I have right now, there’s no reason to think I’m gonna get anything better. Life becomes totally different.

Making the Cut

When pointing to hairstyles that have transformed her 50 years at Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa, founder Nancy Brown rattles off a list of notable celebrities: Farrah Fawcett’s long layers, Jennifer Aniston’s simple shine, Dorothy Hamill’s playful take on a classic — among others. While many looks were once a decade-defining trend, they’ve sustained in both new and familiar ways. Brown takes us back to uncover today’s most timeless hairstyles.

Pixie Cut

Since the 1950s, this cut has been revered for its simple maintenance and adaptability, and nowadays, it’s still a gateway style for individual expression and going back to basics. Longer hair at the top gives way for layering and fringing, while short sides frame the facial features in a way that’s always flattering and never boring.

Mullet

“The unisex look lives on in many alterations,” Brown says of the ‘80s trend. The edgy, sleek cut, which is traditionally long in the back and short on the sides and in the front, has made a noteworthy comeback among younger generations in the 2020s with the addition of bolder colors and more layers.

Wedge Bob

The wedge’s keen shape and the bob’s savvy length were popularized as a hybrid in the 1970s when sported by athlete Dorothy Hamill. “The ice skating gold medalist inspired a hairstyle we do with many modifications,” Brown says. The wedge is a longtime favorite among adults for its chic, uniform design, and the bob has attracted clients of all ages for its versatility and sophistication.

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