Royal Oak's Black the Salon to open second location in Corktown

Six years after opening Black the Salon in Royal Oak, founder Jeph Wright is opening a second location, this time in Corktown. Work is underway on the storefront at 2117 Michigan Ave., where Wright plans to offer the same range of services as his Royal Oak salon. While nothing is set, he estimates a June 12 opening in Corktown, the same date the first Black the Salon opened in 2009.

After looking at a Midtown location roughly two years ago, Wright backed out. While he liked the idea of expanding to Detroit--a natural progression, he says--Wright was in no hurry with an already busy and successful salon in Royal Oak. But with the Corktown building's owner being a client and the nearby Sugar House proprietor Dave Kwiatkowski being an associate through shared motorcycle interests, it was only a matter of time before Wright was convinced that Corktown was the spot.

"My salon better fits Corktown than Midtown. We're more rock and roll," says Wright. "My brand is about being on the forefront and that's what Corktown is."

Now that he's signed the lease to 2117 Michigan Ave., Wright is itching to open. The building itself is receiving quite the makeover, including better exposing the storefront with big factory windows that open up to the street. It's an old after hours party spot that was pretty beat up, says Wright. Once renovated, it will host Black the Salon on one end and Metropolis Cycles on the other.

By offering the same experience as his Royal Oak location, Wright says that Black the Salon will satisfy a huge demand for style in Detroit. "We're bringing it down to the city. You won't have to hop in a car and ride to the 'burbs anymore."

Source: Jeph Wright, owner of Black the Salon
Writer: MJ Galbraith

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