GALION–A Galion grad is on the “cutting edge” of the hair care industry.
Melanie Long Guzzo is the owner of the first all-natural hair salon in the state – Virtue Vegan Salon in downtown Columbus. Not your typical beauty shop. But an eclectic, eco-friendly space that suits this cosmetologist – and her clientele – just fine.
“At first, I didn’t feel like people really understood, but as the years went on, veganism became more popular,” said Guzzo, who opened Virtue Vegan in 2010. “It’s just a really cool thing pioneering an idea that people can be a part of, even if they’re not vegan.”
Virtue uses and sells only shampoos and hair care products free of animal products, by-products, and testing with a mission to “celebrate community and inspire individuals to be their authentic selves.” Each styling chair is unique, surrounded by high-end workstations crafted of black walnut by local artisans.
Guzzo describes the 3,000-square-foot space as mid-century modern with a touch of retro. Vintage hair clippers, perm machines, and dozens of wooden knick-knacks decorate the walls. Even the light fixtures are repurposed. “We’ve got some funk going on in here,” she said.
Guzzo, who graduated from Galion in 2003, is the oldest daughter of Dennis and Cindy Long. She became a licensed cosmetologist through Pioneer Career & Technology Center, but also thought of becoming an art teacher and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2007.
She taught cosmetology in Columbus and started scouting for the “perfect salon home” but said none really felt like the right fit. Then, during a trip to Galion to cut her dad’s hair, she spotted her great-grandfather’s red barber chair in the garage. She found her inspiration.
Veganism came into play, she said, when she experienced some health issues in her 20’s and found relief in natural supplements and switching to a vegan diet. “I also have always valued things like recycling, composting, and reducing waste, so it was natural that this would be a pillar of Virtue Salon.”
Once the salon’s concept “had legs on it,” Guzzo found a small space on North High Street built in the 1920s as a hat shop. She recruited a cosmetology student and a friend stylist to come work for her and, within a few years, Virtue Vegan grew to 12 employees.
In 2015, Virtue moved to a larger building across the street. The business, a landmark in the community, has since expanded to a team of 25 hairdressers who also keep busy teaching educational workshops and hosting food trucks – vegan, of course – and pop-up events to connect with the community.
“I really like the collaboration that we do,” said Guzzo, “with food drives, the Adopt-a-Family program, and helping the community become richer. Some of the pop-ups, they launched their business at our business and have become brick-and-mortar establishments.”
Guzzo said she’s confident that being “violently original” has been the key to Virtue’s success. And while she’s not sure what lies ahead, she’s comfortable in her creative space – brimming with nostalgia and behind the barber chair still used every day.
“We really couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful thing to have happened with Virtue Salon. We plan to grow very slowly so that we can maintain the beauty, strength, and quality of what we have.”