Hair Factory, a local hair salon, faces the challenge of keeping its doors open after existing for almost three decades in the same location.
The business is the only original shop in Beau Chene Shopping Village at the corner of Nicholson Drive and West Lee Drive. Since opening the salon in December 1986, the Carlinos have serviced LSU athletes, students, coaches, faculty and countless members of the Baton Rouge community.
Katherine Evangeline Carlino founded Hair Factory 27 years ago with hopes of making a successful business while giving back to the community. After passing away in 2011, her daughter, Christine Genevieve Carlino, took over as owner.
Of the diverse clients the shop has styled over the years, Christine said some of the most memorable include alumnus and former baseball player Austin Nola and her sister’s favorite customer, former women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor.
“I think [Nola] came in every now and then when they were trying to change their luck or something,” Christine said. “You know how they have their superstitions.”
Hair Factory offers discounts to all students, which include men’s haircuts priced at $10 and women’s haircuts at $15. The shop also partakes in “fan Friday,” which encourages customers to don Saints or University-related sportswear to receive a voucher for a free daiquiri at the store next door.
Chancellor is a regular at Hair Factory, Christine said, and his picture resides behind the register as an homage to the former coach the Carlinos enjoyed serving.
Christine said the business has not been the same since her mother’s death. Katherine would often greet customers as they entered the shop and talk with them while they waited. Katherine was loved by everyone, Christine said.
“She put her heart into this place, and she was here every day. She didn’t do hair, but she was behind that register every day until she got sick,” Christine said.
Christine said she wants Hair Factory to succeed because of its long history with members of the University and to continue her mother’s legacy. Through tears, she added that serving the students and being a part of the community is something she loves.
“I love it here — the environment, the community,” she said.
Hair Factory has struggled financially for months, and Christine is barely keeping the doors open because of staff issues and a recent car accident that left her physically injured.
Christine said business was doing well for a few months, until the accident forced her to stop working while she was rehabilitated.
“Right now, I’m just thankful that I’m keeping it open,” Christine said.
Though experiencing hard times financially, Christine remains hopeful about the future, and she thanks students and others from around the community for their continued support.
“It’s the LSU students that made us. If it weren’t for them being so close to us and [us] being there for them, we wouldn’t have been able to build our clientele,” she said.
Saud Alotibi, petroleum engineering senior, has been frequenting Hair Factory for almost a year. He said the experience of the workers and its close proximity to campus keeps him going back.
“[Christine] is doing a great job,” Alotibi said.
“It’s the LSU students that made us. If it weren’t for them being so close to us and [us] being there for them, we wouldn’t have been able to build our clientele.”
