October 2, 2019
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Minority & Small Business Week
Page 9
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
A Beauty Salon on Wheels
Entrepreneur’s
mobile services
covers entire city
b everly C orbell
t he p ortland o bserver
After opening her own beauty salon at
age 22 and running it for six years, Rita
Calloway wanted to reduce her overhead,
so she eliminated it altogether. First she
bought a big van and retrofitted it to be-
come “Styled by Her Beautique,” a beauty
salon on wheels. Can’t get to the salon? It
will come to you.
Calloway said she’s been working on
the idea for a couple of years and finally
got the mobile salon up and running a few
months ago.
“The advantages are the convenience
and reduced overhead,” she said. “I don’t
have to pay rent or an electricity or water
bill. I have to carry a 6-gallon water tank
around, but it’s easier to fill up than paying
a water bill every month.”
Having a salon that can travel city streets
also means more exposure, she said.
“It’s advertising itself when we’re driv-
ing, and that’s pretty effortless.”
Calloway grew up in her mother’s beau-
ty salon, so going into the business was
natural for her.
“I remember growing up, working under
my mom,” she said. “She was really hands-
on with business and I remember being her
model when she was in beauty school. I’ve
always been around this industry.”
But there are a few drawbacks to a mo-
bile salon, she said, like not having a re-
stroom. She also hasn’t learned how to
drive the van yet because it has a standard
transmission, but she’s taking lessons.
“I have less square footage, and with
having a driver I have to coordinate, make
sure we have parking and gas for the gener-
ator,” she said “And I have to pack every-
thing up when we’re actually driving and
when we park, I have to unload and set up.
At first it was kind of hard, but now it’s
pretty easy.”
Calloway also loves teaching and occa-
sionally holds “pop-up” shops where she
conducts two-day classes to help stylists
prepare for state licensing test for natural
hair care.
“Natural hair care is the only (state) li-
cense that doesn’t require any school,” she
said, “but you cannot use any chemicals for
by
C ontinued on p age 19
photo by b everly C orbell /t he p ortland o bserver
Entrepreneur Rita Calloway welcomes customers to her new mobile beauty salon ‘Styled by Her Beautique,’ one that she can
take anywhere in the city.