The American Restaurant in New Boston was a staple for people in this area for many years. However, people change and times change, along with this, things have their time and go along the wayside and it breaks some hearts and takes things away things that are remembered and loved. This is what happened to that old favored building in New Boston.
All’s not lost, that once beautiful brick has received new life and that building that meant so much to some, has been brought back to life. It may not be a restaurant anymore, yet at the same time, it is not just sitting empty or being torn down. Bringing back the old brick walls, the new owners feel, give the salon character.
Erecka Mader and her husband, Drew, recently purchased the American Restaurant and after wonderful and thorough care, the beautiful red brick is standing once again. Erecka had leased the building beside the American Restaurant for her business, Hollywood Hair and had always admired the restaurant and the significance it held as one of the beautiful mature buildings still there in New Boston and she was curious as to what might lie beneath. She said that she just abided her time, until the price and time were right and that has now happened, and what has come of this acquisition, is nothing less than glamorous, yet at the same time wonderfully nostalgic.
When one enters the salon, eyes are immediately drawn to the classy blackish coloring that gives Erecka’s place its own personality. Long stylish mirrors align both sides of the stations within. The unique black sinks and chairs, really make this place shine. And if that is not enough for the eye to see, the original brick walls in their original state, pop out as if they have came back to give the rest of the decor that added touch, making this place so very special.
An added point to this restoration, is that the Maders have used the same window placements from the original building, but just used up-to-date windows in their places. The sizes are the same as once before, and give the place even more to enjoy by bringing back the old, once again. Erecka said that even with the front of the building, “we did everything we could to bring it back to what it was.” Drew added that they basically gutted the building to the bare basics as it was originally, from wall to ceiling. “As we removed the old dropped ceilings, it was kinda like gold to find the building as it had once been.” Erecka said she loved the tall ceilings and had wanted that in her plans originally. They tried to bring it back to the original status, with just the few things they had to do to comply to the codes.
Erecka said that the reason she wanted to move from the building which was just next door, was that she only leased that building and she wanted to own her own building, plus she really wanted the American Restaurant building. She said that the bricks read 1909, and therefore, said it was built somewhere between 1909 and 1915. She also mentioned that someone once told her that Covert’s Furniture built the originally building, but was not quite sure if that was true. The Maders said that although that may be true, most people remember it as the American Restaurant and carry some wonderful memories of that with them.
Now, Erecka hopes to bring new memories to people of the beautiful beauty salon as it is now, with all the old and new mixed together. She says she has a great clientele following and people are faithful to their hairdressers most of the time. She also says her other stylists have their own following and will hopefully add to that, as they are all trying to do. And along with that, she is branching out and adding a spa as part of her business. “Aesthetics, skin care, permanent makeup, pretty much anything you want to have done in a salon, you will be able to have here. Connie Bumgardiner will be there in January to do all all the aesthetics and uses her choice of products called Alera and Jenny Salyers will be doing all the permanent makeup.”
Erecka says she has been doing hair for about 18 years and has been running her own salon for six years. She says that she doesn’t have to micromanage much, as a lot of the girls have been working with her for a long time, making things easier. The girls are self sufficient and therefore, she doesn’t have to worry. She already has 11 people working there, whether it be full or part time. She has a total of 17 stations that can be used in her new place. She said when you add people, you want to see how they fit in and how well they do, so she doesn’t plan on filling all of the stations now.
When asked about where the name, ‘Hollywood Hair’ came from, Ericka said, “I came up with it myself and even before I had my own place, I had opened a Facebook page using the name.” Erecka, spoke of the purchase of her salon with a compassion for it, “it was the right time, the right place and everything.” And she knows this was just right for her. Drew was quick to point out admiringly, that Erecka was ‘hands-on’ in putting this place to where it is now. He said she deserves the compliment, as she put in the work to make it happen.
Nostalgia is nothing to make fun of or criticize, because with nostalgia, comes memories to share and keeps some terrific history alive. The first owners of this building, probably did not envision a lovely salon as a place it would be turned in to, but maybe, they didn’t see it as a restaurant either, and look what memories that gave to so many.
Reach Kimberly Jenkins 740-353-3101 ext. 1928