Salon Fifty Four soon to have new home in former House of Homebrew

Stacey Harrison

Contributor

December 1, 2025

GREEN BAY – A fresh chapter is brewing for Salon Fifty Four (154 N. Broadway), which is set to move into the former House of Homebrew building on Dousman Street.

“We are going to be moving just down the road,” Owner Rosemary Alcantara said. “We’re still staying in the Broadway District, which is what I was looking for.”

Alcantara said she hopes the new salon – 408 Dousman St. – will be up and running by March.

“The hope is that we literally have a seamless transition between one week working here and the next week we’re there,” she said.

Currently, Alcantara said the Dousman Street building is “pretty much gutted – bare bones” – as she awaits city approval on renovation plans.

Once approved, she said construction can begin.

Why the move?

The idea of expanding, Alcantara said, has “been on [her] mind for about two years.”

At first, she said she considered expanding into the upper level of her current building, but the numbers didn’t make sense – prompting her to explore other locations.

Alcantara said her search continued quietly until a friend – who happens to be a realtor – forwarded her the listing for the Dousman Street property.

At first, she said she didn’t give it much thought – but once she toured the building in person, Alcantara said she was sold

“I loved that it was a historic building,” she said. “It has so much history. It has brick exposure. The ceilings are high. And even though it’s bare bones and looks a little scary right now, I can envision it.”

Beyond the salon’s added square footage – which was a major reason for the move – Alcantara said the building came with an unexpected perk: an upstairs apartment. 

Even though the salon isn’t open yet, Alcantara said she’s already renting the apartment out as an Airbnb.

Once the salon is operational, she said the apartment will add another layer of convenience for its many wedding clients.

“We do a lot of bridal hair and makeup… [and] the Airbnb has a stairway that will connect to the main floor of the salon,” she said. “So, let’s say they want hair and makeup done… literally walk downstairs and meet us here for your appointment.”

Designing the new space

With the new building, Alcantara said she can finally “start from scratch,” crafting a space she hopes will elevate the customer experience and expand the salon’s service offerings.

“I’m hopeful to expand into skincare and different services that require room settings,” she said. 

At the moment, Salon Fifty Four has only one room, but the new location will feature two, which Alcantara said could support an expanded lineup of spa services.

In addition to expanding services, Alcantara said she plans to increase the number of styling stations from 11 to around 17 – aiming to provide “more opportunities even for up-and-coming stylists.”

“I’m very passionate about the industry, so I’m always looking for driven, passionate stylists,” she said. 

Alcantara said she eventually envisions adding a small boutique inside the salon where customers can shop for clothing.

“That’s a little bit more down the road, but I do envision that, too,” she said. “The opportunities are endless.”

Overall, Alcantara said she wants the new space to offer clients a “cool experience.”

Part of the appeal of the new building, she said, is the history it holds. 

“To be able to come into this building that also holds so much history in Green Bay – they get to come in it and experience it,” she said. “They get to sit inside it. What they’re investing in is more than just hair – it’s [an] experience. 

Alcantara said supporting the salon also means supporting a local business.

“Giving back to the community… you’re supporting a small business in the community, which is pretty amazing,” she said. 

From artist to hairdresser

Though becoming a hairstylist was never on her “radar,” Alcantara said her creative passion was clear early on.

“One thing I knew ever since I was very little was that I loved art,” she said.

When she was 13 years old, Alcantara said her mom moved her and her siblings from Guatemala to Wisconsin to live with her aunt in Oconto Falls. 

“We were immigrants, so I didn’t think I was going to be given the chance to go to school,” she said.

But eventually, Alcantara said she was able to get her citizenship, which allowed her to apply for schools in the U.S. 

Alcantara said during a gap year after high school, while she was still figuring out her future, a beauty school commercial on TV grabbed her interest.

“It said the words I needed to hear,” she said. 

So, Alcantara said she toured Martin’s Cosmetology School, signed up and fell in love with it from day one.

“I just knew in my soul and in my heart that I had made the right choice for myself,” she said. 

After graduating, according to salonfiftyfour.com, Alcantara landed a job at Dessange Paris, a French franchise salon in Green Bay – thanks in part to an instructor who helped her get an interview

“I relearned everything with [Dessange],” she said. “My method of cutting, my highlighting techniques, [etc.]” 

In 2011, Dessange Paris closed unexpectedly, but Alcantara said the building’s owners were determined to keep the salon open – and within a few hours, Salon Fifty Four was born, complete with a new name and website.

Then, when the owners put Salon Fifty Four up for sale in 2018, Alcantara said she bought the business.

“I never thought I would want to own a business,” she said.

But Alcantara said her love for the salon made it impossible to walk away. 

“I took a leap of faith and decided I was going to take over,” she said.  

As a first-time business owner, Alcantara said the previous owners guided her and taught her the ins and outs of running Salon Fifty Four.

“As I grew in my career, I also invested a lot in teaching other stylists, and it has become one of my passions as well,” she said. 

Alcantara said that passion has led her to work as a substitute teacher at Empire Beauty School in Green Bay.

“That’s how I also find my new talent,” she said.

Alcantara said Salon Fifty Four also offers a mentorship program to support all the new stylists who join the team.

Embrace the leap

As she marks seven years of business ownership and prepares for the salon’s relocation, Alcantara said she encourages others to never let fear hold them back from following their dreams.

“Yeah, it could fail – but also it could do great,” she said. “People are afraid of failure, but to me, failure is just an opportunity for you to learn how to do it right again.”

Alcantara said she is taking her own advice as she navigates the move to the new building, still unsure of exactly how things will unfold.

“At the end of the day, I can only trust that God has a plan for me, and if this is meant for me, it will be, and if not, that’s okay,” she said. “I can rebuild. I can start over. It’s not going to be the end of the world. I’m not going to die from this.”

Though her journey once seemed unlikely, Alcantara said her past experiences have guided her to this point.

“I think because of my background and my life story, I was given an opportunity that I had to take advantage of,” she said. “[Moving] to the United States and me not doing anything with that opportunity would have been just a big waste.”

Check out Salon Fifty Four’s aforementioned website for more details, and find the salon on Facebook for relocation updates.