She has been the beautician for many long-time loyal customers
but now, after more than 40 years in the business, owner Reiko
Masuda is closing C
&
amp;M Beauty Salon.
She has been the beautician for many long-time loyal customers but now, after more than 40 years in the business, owner Reiko Masuda is closing C&M Beauty Salon.
The salon on West Main Avenue had a going-out-of -business sale Sunday with items ranging from hair tools, products and shampoo bowls to salon furniture.
It’s early Sunday morning. Masuda, 70, is pricing her remaining inventory to sell. She said that a new salon already has plans to remodel the shop with a modern and more upbeat decor – different from the original look that she kept from when she moved in 28 years ago.
Masuda said her salon was not a young people’s salon and that most of her customers liked getting roller hair settings, unlike the straight hair styles that younger women prefer.
Although she is looking forward to retiring, Masuda said that she will miss the customers who became her friends.
“It’s been like a family,” said Masuda. “I have had loyal customers that have grown and aged with me.”
Her regular patrons include her first weekly regular customers, Phyllis Pedrizzetti and Madeline Guglielmo, both members of long-time wine making families. Guglielmo had been getting her hair done by Masuda since three years before Masuda came to C&M.
“It is the hardest thing to leave because I really love my job and my clients because they are my friends,” said Masuda.
Masuda’s daughter, Charlene McNeil, said that she feels like her mother is an icon. Listening to her mother’s friends on Saturday, the last day of business for Masuda, Peggy Smith and Nori Shiba came up with a plan for their future hair needs.
According to McNeil, Smith said she is going to punch holes in a paper bag for eyes and wear it over her head and shave Shiba’s head.
McNeil said that her mother’s clients were more than customers. They did personal things together.
“My mom goes to customers’ birthday parties, funerals; she picks up some customers, does their hair and takes them back home. She has one customer who she makes lunch for every week when she comes. Two week ago, Rose Saso celebrated her 94th birthday party at the shop,” said McNeil.
“When one of my mother’s customers passes, she goes to the funeral parlor and does their hair, too,” said McNeil.
The “Friday morning bunch,” is going to miss seeing her smiling face, hearing her soothing voice and feeling the touch of her capable hands as she hangs up her combs and brushes.
Masuda said that she has referred her friends to a nearby local hair salon.
Masuda, who is married, has three children and nine grandchildren, grew up in San Jose and San Martin. She said that she got started in the beauty business after enrolling in beauty school in San Jose.
Then she began working part-time with her sister-in-law Marie Masuda and her niece Carol Masuda for whom the salon is named. Then, she took ownership of the salon in 1974.
McNeil recalled how her mother used to let people pay with eggs, or whatever they had. She also remembered how her mother made them save and roll their newspapers to give to a local rose flower grower to wrap her flowers in and how her mother appreciated it when she was given roses.
Masuda said that over the years there have been many changes with hair styles as well as with beauty products. Curling irons are now ceramic and scissors have come a long way.
“Scissors were $20 when I started, now they are $100. If you ever use a good pair of scissors, you can never go back,” said Masuda.
“Hair colors, perms and everything have gotten better,” she said. “I never dreamed that I would be working in the beauty business this long.”
Giving good service and catering to the customer have kept Masuda around.
“The beauty business is hard work. You must dedicate yourself to the public,” she said.
Her love for flowers and plants evidenced throughout the shop will get more attention now that she has time for gardening, something she is looking forward to.
“I love gardening a lot,” said Masuda.
She plans to travel, learn to line dance, volunteer and take computer classes.
A friend will be missed, noted in a letter from Dodie Cox which Masuda posted on the wall of the salon and gave copies to customers.
It reads, “We have seen each other through thick and thin, with Reiko lovingly orchestrating us through the perils of life. Thank you, Reiko; I really do appreciate the wonderful years of service you have given me! God bless you and may he keep you in the center of his love.”
“I am really going to miss a lot of the old-timers that came here to meet each other. I am going to miss my friends,” said Masuda.
On Saturday, long-time customer, Cesar Hernandez, who managed to get the last appointment, told McNeil that he felt lucky to be the last customer that Masuda will have.
“It is very, very sad to see that this communication line is leaving the community, especially for some of the older Japanese Americans who felt comfortable speaking to my mother in their native language,” said McNeil. “People really love her.”
