New downtown salon brings “good vibes” to Peotone

By Andrea Arens

A new business has brought a fresh look — and a familiar sense of community — to downtown Peotone.

Christina Clark, owner of Bang Hair Parlor, welcomed community members during a meet-and-greet open house July 16, giving residents a chance to tour the new salon, meet the owner, and learn more about the newest addition to downtown.

Clark and her husband moved to the Peotone community in 2018, and after eight years of calling the area home, she decided it was time to bring her 24 years of experience as a stylist closer to home.

“I knew that Peotone was in need of a hair salon, and I thought that I would be the one to answer that call,” Clark said.

Before opening her own salon, Clark was renting a chair at a salon in Orland Park, where she said she was happy and grateful for the experience. But she felt ready for the next step.

“I needed something more for myself,” she said. “I needed to be able to grow.”

For Clark, that growth meant creating a space that reflected not only her professional goals but also her personality.

The name Bang Hair Parlor, came from a simple idea — combining something related to hair with a little bit of personality.

“We all have bangs,” Clark said. “I wanted to keep it something that had to do with hair, but I’m a little trendy and a little out there, so it needed to have a little kick to it.”

The salon’s downtown location was another intentional choice.

“When I saw the space, even when it was an ice cream place, it was gorgeous,” Clark said. “I knew it had all the potential in the world.”

Clark said she saw the historic downtown location as the perfect place to create the atmosphere she envisioned — a welcoming space where both clients and employees feel comfortable.

“I’m trying to create my ideal workspace,” she said. “I want to create a team that really works well together. I don’t want competition amongst one another. I just want to feel at peace. I want to feel happy in the space that I’m in.”

That positive environment is something Clark hopes clients notice the moment they walk through the door.

“I hope that they remember that I was able to greet them in a positive way, and that they felt comfortable walking in the door and felt like they belonged here from the get-go,” she said.

With more than two decades in the industry, Clark brings experience with a wide range of clients and services. She began her career as a men’s hairstylist and still has many male clients who have followed her for more than 20 years.

“I would say I’m very well known for my men’s haircuts,” she said.

Over the years, she has expanded her work to become more of a family stylist, including working with children and clients with autism.

“I’m very good with kids. I’m very good with people that are on the spectrum,” Clark said. “I’m also really good at highlights.”

The salon will offer a variety of products, including Matrix, Malibu, and Amika, with a mix of higher-end and budget-friendly options.

Clark said some of the biggest current hair trends she is seeing include “cashmere blondes,” which she describes as a softer, more natural alternative to icy blondes.

“It’s easier to achieve, but also more natural looking,” she said.

She also noted that perms continue to make a comeback, especially among younger clients.

Clark credits much of her confidence in opening her own salon to the support and mentorship she received from her former boss.

“She was my mentor for 15 years,” Clark said. “Now it’s time for me to not be the mentee anymore and move on and be somebody else’s mentor.”

Opening the salon came together quickly, and Clark said one of the biggest rewards has been seeing the finished space and the community’s reaction.

“The most rewarding part would definitely be seeing it all come together,” she said. “And seeing how the community has responded.”

Looking ahead, Clark hopes to continue building Bang Hair Parlor into a lasting part of the Peotone community.

“The goal over the next few years is to grow an amazing team that works well together and brings the community something that it really needs,” she said. “Hopefully, we stick around and are here for the long haul.”

Clark said she wanted to host an owner meet-and-greet rather than simply hold a traditional grand opening because she wanted residents to get to know the person behind the business.

“Yes, we’ve been here for eight years, but my husband and I have kind of stayed below the radar,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know who we are.”

With her husband recently joining the school board and Clark becoming a downtown business owner, the couple is becoming more visible in the community they now call home.

For Clark, opening Bang Hair Parlor is about more than hair — it’s about creating a place where people feel welcomed.

“It’s about the atmosphere,” she said. “I think the energy of it is what is going to draw people in.”

Bang Hair Parlor is located at 116 W. Main Street in downtown Peotone. Check out their social media on both Facebook and Instagram and online booking is available.