Staff Photo / R. Michael Semple Cali Gialousis, 17, opened Rave Beauty Salon in Howland on Dec. 1.
HOWLAND — As Cali Gialousis recalls, one night a few years ago a close friend of hers came to her house with an acrylic nail kit. Her friend didn't want to pay to have her nails done by a technician, so she asked Kari to help.
“It took me about six hours to do it. Then I started loving it, and then I started doing my thing, and then I started doing my girlfriend's thing, and then I started doing some of my friends' things. So…I kind of started doing it and I guess I thought, 'I'm going to school for that.' Kari said.
She did so, enrolling at Rafael's Beauty Culture School at age 16, and now, about a year later, 17-year-old Kari owns her own beauty salon, Rave Studio Salon and Spa, located at 170 Mayflower Road in Howland. and is operated.
Kari enrolled in the esthetician/nail artist combo program at beauty school from late January to early February.
She split the course and completed the 750-hour esthetician course in about seven months. She passed the national esthetician certification exam in September, after which she returned to the manicurist course, which she also completed in September.
The nail technician certification exam will be held in January.
At the beginning of her nail technology course, Kari said she wasn't thinking about opening her own salon right away, but had been thinking about working for someone else for a while. But nothing actually happened, and then she found a building on Mayflower Road, called her landlord, and received the keys a few days later.
That was October 25th.
“There was nothing here, the walls were green… there was carpet everywhere. The floor in there had to be replaced.” Kari said pointing to the hairstyle. “For state commission regulations.”
The approximately 900-square-foot space, which was unfurnished, had to be configured for the salon, including plumbing and electrical upgrades and equipment.
After school, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., she would spend hours preparing for the salon's grand opening, sometimes until 2 or 3 a.m., said her mother, Kim Giarushi.
“She worked hard.” Kim said.
According to Kim, she and Kari's father, Leo, suggested a January opening date to give them more time to prepare, but because she finished the program very early and already had a strong clientele. , Kari insisted on opening on December 1st.
“So we kept pushing and pushing, but when December 1 came around, she opened up.” Kim said.
Because of Kari's age, she needed her parents' help signing a rental agreement and getting insurance. Her business license is in her name.
As for the source of her entrepreneurial spirit, “Her and my father” Kari said, pointing to Kim who was standing nearby. Kim sold her former property management company last year, and her husband Leo owned a bridge painting company.
Kari, 16, graduated from high school earlier this year and is also certified in microblading and hopes to expand her skill set to cover tattoo scars and permanent makeup.
Currently, Rave Studio Salon and Spa has two nail stations, two hair stations, and a room for estheticians. In addition to Cali, hairstylists Grace Boughton and Brayon Rose and esthetician Brianna Ehrlich work there. Kari said she would like to hire another hair technician and nail artist.
The salon is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and reservations are required.
“I just think she’s amazing.” Kim said of Cali: “There was a lot of conversation between her father and I that maybe she should go out into the outside world and work for someone because she just turned 17. She wasn't ready for that. Is she up to it? She has proven herself time and time again to be a very determined young woman.”
