‘A couple of waitresses reopened a legend’
UWEC announces Rural Health Innovation Alliance
April 3, 2024
APPLETON — For as long as she can remember, Brittany Curry — co-owner of Appleton’s Nine.Two.Zero Salon — said she has loved everything revolving around beauty and styling hair.
Curry, alongside friend and now business partner Natasha Mader — who shared the same enthusiasm for the trade — opened Nine.Two.Zero Salon in 2019.
“Natasha and I have been good friends for many years, and we both had a dream to open our own salon,” Curry said. “So, we decided to do it together.”
A labor of love
Located at 1619C on West College Ave., Mader said it’s the perfect location for the salon.
“The location we decided on was perfectly in the middle of Appleton,” she said. “It’s close to all the surrounding towns and easy access to the highway, and being off of College Avenue was another bonus.”
By establishing a partnership to start Nine.Two.Zero Salon, Curry said she and Mader hoped to better their industry.
“We knew exactly what kind of vibe and environment we wanted to work in and knew that creating our own space was the best way to make our vision come to life,” she said.
After finding the key location, the duo said they enlisted the help of others — specifically great contractors — which helped move the process along.
Both owners said they were eager to contribute their own ideas during the design process.
“There’s a lot that goes into designing an entire salon, and we are always making changes to stay modern and to keep it feeling fresh,” Curry said.
Chair-rental salon
In addition to Curry and Mader, Nine.Two.Zero is home to a variety of other beauty professionals — as it is a chair-rental salon with multiple specialties, making it what Mader describes as a one-stop shop for a refreshed look and a positive experience.
“Being a chair rental salon gives our stylists flexibility to offer a variety of services,” she said. “Our most common services are women’s color, haircuts, eyelash extensions, microblading and other permanent makeup.”
Curry and Mader said customers can expect a welcoming and clean environment every time they visit, whether they’re new or regulars.
“Our favorite part of the salon is making everyone feel welcome,” Curry said. “Our independent stylists are like family along with all the clients that walk through the doors.”
An unexpected hurdle
Earlier this year, Curry and Mader said they experienced every business owner’s nightmare — a fire.
Though the incident originated at a neighboring business, Mader said, there was some damage to the salon.
“The restaurant next door caught on fire,” she said. “Part of the salon was affected by fire and water (damage) and the whole salon was engulfed in smoke.”
Brittany Curry, left, and Natasha Mader opened Nine.Two. Zero Salon in 2019. Submitted Photo
Despite the rigorous cleanup process that has followed, Nine.Two.Zero’s owners said they have remained optimistic — turning the experience into a valuable learning opportunity.
The adversity, Curry said, also brought the team closer together.
“All of the stylists have helped us overcome lots of changes as we started restoration,” she said. “We are learning that in the toughest situations, we all still have each other to lean on.”
As cleanup continues, both Mader and Curry said they are grateful nobody was seriously hurt or injured.
The duo said they are ready to put the incident behind them and are focused on the future — specifically celebrating the business’s fifth anniversary.
Cheers to five years
Nine.Two.Zero is set to celebrate its five-year milestone with an event May 23.
“We are working on getting a few beauty professionals in to help us celebrate,” she said.
Curry said many of the details are still being finalized, but customers are encouraged to visit the salon’s social media platforms for up-to-date information.
Since opening the salon, Mader said they have both learned “so much.”
“Our first five years have been amazing, but we have learned along the way,” she said.
As one year transitions into the next, the duo said they are proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish so far and “can’t wait to see where the business is in the next five years.”
“We have a great team,” Curry said. “We still have room for new services to become a more full-service salon, so hopefully that’s something we can add in the near future.”
The success the pair has seen, Mader said, they credit to their hard work, organization and decision-making abilities.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say there’s a secret to success — believe it’s all trial and error,” she said.
Though all businesses are unique, Curry said one important element always comes into play — open communication.
“All businesses are different,” she said. “What works for us may not work for another, but open communication is key.”
The salon is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
It is closed on Sundays.
