Perfect hair happiness is what Rubie Williams is going for.
Williams is the owner and chief stylist at Hair Nirvana at 5249 Duke Street (suite 202) in the West End, and says her business has grown the past decade mostly through word of mouth.
“I offer good service, love and I’m very fair on price,” Williams told ALXnow. “Those are the best things you can do that keep my customers coming back.”
From 2015 until last year, Williams also operated a mobile salon from a renovated 1992 Ford Rockwood. The recreational vehicle came in handy during the pandemic, but finally had to be retired and sold last year.
That’s right. Hair Nirvana is no longer traveling to its clients, but the smooth jazz they learned to love listening to in the RV is still playing at the brick and mortar salon.
“My son told me that I needed to make money off the RV, because it was just sitting there,” Williams said. “So, I sold it to a woman in California.”
Hair Nirvana offers hair services for women and men, waxing and nail services.
Williams, who works by appointment, said that she’s like a therapist for her clients. She’s a 1988 graduate of Lake Braddock Secondary School and got her first job as a stylist at Hair Cuttery in the Bradlee Shopping Center, where she worked for 12 years. She then moved to TC International Salon (also in Bradlee) before embarking on a solo career as a stylist and business owner.
“Once you are good at what you do and have positive attitude and good energy, your clients love that,” she said. “Then you listen to them and make life-changing connections.”
The salon is open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed Friday and Sunday.