Port People: Week 3 – Ginny Eramo of INTERLOCKS Salon + Spa
By Lexi Fontaine, Marketing Intern
Last week I visited Ginny Eramo in her INTERLOCKS Salon + Spa, a haven for women and men seeking first-rate beauty, wellness, and medspa services on Boston’s North Shore. Below is the interview for the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce’s #portpeople campaign which is a weekly profile of members of the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce & Industry!
Lexi: What are some of the many services you offer at INTERLOCKS?
Ginny: We have a team of 58 people at INTERLOCKS. Some of the amenities we provide include a salon that is staffed with stylists and our nail care area. We also have our spa with Licensed Estheticians that provide skin care as well as Licensed Massage Therapists. We now have a whole medical spa team, so we can offer a wide variety of services.
Lexi: How does INTERLOCKS differ from other typical hair salons?
Ginny: The salon is unique because the staff is traveling constantly, and they are fully immersing themselves in advanced education all the time. The staff, and myself included, are going to places like London, Barcelona, New York City, Los Angeles, etc. We’re about to fly to Chicago next month, and I just came back from New Orleans. We are always traveling and engrossing ourselves in all the different symposiums that are available. Some of it includes hands-on classes with world famous hair dressers and some discuss best business practices. We are constantly upping our game, and that is what really sets the salon apart from other salons.
Lexi: Congratulations on 30 years of business. What do you think it is about INTERLOCKS that keeps business so thriving?
Ginny: It is definitely a welcoming environment. I know some people feel intimidated because they haven’t stepped in the door yet, and some of those are unrealistic expectations of what is behind these doors. What they do not know is that it is a really warm team here, and kindness prevails every single day. There are no divas that work here, people get along really well, and they spend a lot of time together outside of work. There are about 14 or 15 people that I’ve worked with here for over 15 years. There is a core group that creates a family unit, and when new people join they become part of that culture. I think that’s what has kept us going for so long – the culture. We attract more good talent because “like attracts like”. Positivity attracts good things.
Lexi: INTERLOCKS is very charitable. What do you think the importance is of giving back to the community?
Ginny: This community is built on philanthropy. Newburyport is thriving because of people rolling up their sleeves, and that mindset permeates everywhere. I find that so appealing, and I love living and working in a community like this. I think most people also feel the same about Newburyport. There is great participation in this community. When you look at the amount of causes and events happening all the time – it’s amazing that people will always find a way to give to them.
Lexi: Is there any new trend in particular that you’ve been loving lately?
Ginny: One trend I have been loving lately is Balayage, the technique of painting highlights freehand onto the hair. You don’t have to just do Balayage with blonde hair either. You can use other colors, and we do a lot of that lately. Another trend is lash extensions. I like them because they can be really subtle if you want which is a really interesting trend. I don’t know if it’s ever going to go away. Just like nails, now that women know they can have lashes, it can be a fixture of the beauty community. One other trend is hair extensions. Women used to think that they were only for theatrics, and now we do them every day. You can solve a haircut problem with hair extensions, or if someone cut your bangs too short you can fix it. People do not realize how hair extensions have really opened up the options for styling.
Lexi: What is the best beauty advice you could give to the everyday person?
Ginny: Don’t over-do it, and less is more. Having a great haircut makes a difference. I feel the same way about clothing. Have investment pieces that you can wear over and over again. The people who adapt to new trends, try to stay current, and don’t over-do it are the ones who stay prominent in the beauty industry. It is important to age gracefully and not try to look how you did when you were younger. I see some women get stuck in a certain era. For example, they will keep a hairstyle that worked well for them when they were young. You have to evolve.
Lexi: What is the importance of making men and women feel beautiful in this day and age?
Ginny: I think people generally want to feel good about themselves. The face or body they see in the mirror is important to them and sometimes matters in what image they project to the world. There is so much pressure in today’s society to look a certain way, and I want to make people feel good about how they look. It is very rewarding to me when I can do that.
To learn more about INTERLOCKS and the services they offer, visit https://interlockssalon.com/.