Local hair stylist finds ‘Niche’ in downtown Manitowoc

Rachel Kroeger

Staff

March 9, 2026

MANITOWOC – Owner Victoria Geiger said Niche Hair Collective – a space curated for client comfort, collaborative growth and autonomous creativity – was born out of her pursuit for independence, both “as an artist and a person.”

“An independent artist can rent a chair in my salon, but has full autonomy,” she said. “I, then, as a collective, provide a really supportive space that allows them to have [autonomy] without the effort of being fully independent – like renting a suite or owning your own salon.”

Since its soft-opening last summer, Geiger said she and her team of two independent stylists – Elsie Steimle and Danielle Skinkis, per nichehaircollective.com – have grown their individual client bases mainly by way of referrals.

“I’m huge on creating that connection with a client, because I can spend all the marketing dollars I want, but if it’s not coming through when you’re in the salon, it doesn’t really matter,” she said. “I want our work to speak for itself.”

Find your place

A year ago, in choosing self-employment over her previous job, Geiger said she knew she “wanted to create something.”

“I could have gone and rented a suite, and that would have been great,” she said. “But I feel like there’s so much more to offer when you’re working with other people. You’re collectively learning, you’re collaborating and you’re [building] these relationships that are so valuable and so important outside of your family relationships.”

Capitalizing on her self-proclaimed love of responsibility, Geiger said she specifically sought to open a collective instead of operating as a solo artist.

“Not everybody wants [to] or has the time to put that additional effort in,” she said. “So, I help provide the atmosphere, the environment and some of that back-end work, like marketing.”

As a first-time business owner, Geiger said despite the hectic timeline leading up to Niche’s soft opening – “I got married the week before” – the experience has been “really rewarding.”

“I have worked the most I’ve ever worked in my life,” she said. “Everything literally happened all at once, but I wouldn’t change it – it was a blur, it was chaotic and busy, but I still kind of thrive on that.”

After filing for her LLC last April, Geiger said she just happened to drive by the storefront now home to Niche – located at 206 N. 8th St. in downtown Manitowoc – recognized the space was available and viewed it the next morning.

“I signed my lease a week later, and then I took over the lease June 1, so it all had transpired very, very quickly,” she said. “It was a little bit of a shock. I wasn’t planning on doing that, but it couldn’t have worked out any better.”

Formerly home to a retail store, Geiger said she and her then-fiance didn’t have to do much renovating before Niche’s soft opening.

“We painted everything just to give it a fresh coat [and] did some deep cleaning, but truthfully, most of it was… building furniture,” she said.

During Niche Hair Collective’s first week, Geiger said she and her stylists served only family and friends, using the time to adjust to the space and refine their individual service offerings.

“We all [cut hair] and specialize in color, [but] we each have our own niche,” she said. “Dani does a lot of things like blonding transformations or big blonding sessions. I do a lot of reds, brunettes and I love retouches. Elsie loves custom colors, or more lived-in colors.”

This, Geiger said, is a perfect example of what she’s attempting to build with Niche.

“In this industry, we all gravitate toward different things,” she said. “So, I want to create a space where people can come and be themselves and find their place, but also find their place in the industry or in a specific service they offer.”

Additionally, Geiger said Niche will reintroduce its extension program later this year after she and Skinkis attended an advanced training course.

“There are a million different ways to do everything [with hair],” she said. “I will say, however, that I think what we’re going to be offering is a game changer. I haven’t seen any other extension method on the market like it, so I’m very, very excited.”

Sustainability, business identity

When creating her business plan, Geiger said becoming a Green Circle certified salon was “No. 1 on [her] list” of priorities.

Based out of Toronto, Canada, Geiger said Green Circle Salons is an environmental organization helping promote sustainability in the hair industry.

“It’s a point of difference for us,” she said. “We are the only Green Circle-certified salon in Manitowoc, and probably further out.”

Geiger said she was willing to invest in her Green Circle certification because she “could see the return” – emphasizing that neither Niche’s clients nor artists share in that cost.

“Some places [have] an ‘eco fee,’ [but] I chose not to, because you’re not asking me to recycle, it’s part of me and what I want,” she said. “I also don’t pass it on to our artists, so they don’t have to pay an additional fee to be part of the program. That is something I, as an owner, provide.”

As part of its certification, Geiger said Green Circle will send Niche a box every month to fill with recyclable items – such as used hair foils, plastic and aluminum product containers, as well as their clients’ hair – which are then repurposed instead of taking up space in a landfill.

Geiger said aluminum is 100% recyclable, offering nearly limitless possibilities for reuse, while discarded hair can be repurposed to clean up oil spills or transformed into plastic.

Even unused products – such as hair color – she said, can be recycled as well by separating out and repurposing the oil and water for fuel.

“When we mix a bowl of color, and we don’t use all of that color, traditionally, that would go down the drain,” she said. “But hair color is composed of oil, water and then, obviously, chemicals. So, why put it in our water system?”

In addition, Geiger said Niche’s in-house color line, Arete, is free of ammonia, PPDs and “a lot of common irritants” found in other brands’ products.

“There are also no artificial fragrances in anything that we use here, which I think is really important for people who are sensitive, or in general,” she said. “If they’re not necessary, they’re not necessary.”

Though sustainability is a “foundational value” of her salon, Geiger said she doesn’t want Niche’s brand to be overtly based on its Green Circle certification.

“I’m not a ‘Green Circle salon,’ I’m a Green Circle-certified salon,” she said. “I want our business to be able to stand on its own without being identified by another business.”

However, as the owner, Geiger said she saw an opportunity with Green Circle and Niche to make an impact because – like any other salon – they utilize so many materials that could potentially serve a completely new purpose.

“I find that really important, because we live in a wasteful society,” she said. “Some things are unavoidable – I understand that. I’m not neurotic about recycling, and I’m realistic. However, I want to play whatever part I can to do better, because small changes can make a big impact.”

Now, roughly six months in, Geiger said she and her stylists are continuing to not only make an impact on the environment, but on their clients as well – providing both top-notch results, and a reprieve from the everyday hustle of life.

“I want to make sure we’re providing excellent service in the environment I intended to create – a very calm space where you don’t have to worry about the results of your hair, because they’re going to be fantastic,” she said. “But, more so, I want to be a little respite where you can come, relax, enjoy yourself and allow us to pamper you.”

For more information on Niche Hair Collective, visit its aforementioned website or social media pages.