21-year-old business owners cut the ribbon on new Machesney Park salon
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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MACHESNEY PARK — The 21-year-old owners behind the village’s newest salon want you to love who you are before you ever sit in one of their chairs, and they want you to feel even better about yourself once you leave.
Madison Woodman and Jillianne Klinefelter, best friends who met in high school and then trained together at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture in Rockford, celebrated the opening of Rustic Reflections on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting with The Parks Chamber of Commerce. The salon is at 7834 N. Second St., unit 5, just around the corner from Gill’s Diner.
“Any hair necessities and needs that could be needed in this community we will offer,” Woodman said during the ceremony, “and anything support-wise that you also need — even if you just need a chair to sit down and talk about anything — we will offer that as well.”
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Klinefelter, a Belvidere High School graduate, and Woodman, a Harlem High School alum, will offer all your basic hair services ranging from stylings and cuts to color, perms, extensions and lashes. They share a goal of helping boost their clients confidence in their looks.
“Both of us have struggled with self-image,” Woodman said. “I want you to sit down and look at your reflection and then leave feeling better than when you came. You’re already beautiful coming in and staring at yourself, but I want you to feel better when you leave.”
Woodman, who took on the speaking roles during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, said the death of her 65-year-old grandmother Sandy Darr in 2023 showed her that life is too short not to chase her dreams.
“She is the entire reason that I’m at where I’m at today,” Woodman said. “I appreciate her for still looking down on me and being the brightest star in the sky.”
They take customers by appointment and have walk-in hours, mostly weekday evenings and weekends days and early afternoons. (Their hours are update on the Facebook page.)
“I have dreamed of being a hair stylist since I was probably 10 years old,” Woodman said. “Honestly, this is a dream come true to think about the fact that we’re 21 and own a business in such a large community with so much support behind us.”
About | Rustic Reflections
Where: 7834 N. Second St., unit 5, Machesney Park
On the web: Go HERE
Phone: 815-543-3708
Email: rusticreflections25@gmail.com
Facebook: Go HERE
Tik Tok: @rustic_reflections
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
