Not one to struggle with what she would do with her life, Brenda (Curet) Cuevas, sole proprietor of Strandz Salon, began her career as a hair stylist and business owner right out of high school in 1976 and never looked back.
Cuevas says that owning a business was never that important, that it just happened. Nevertheless, she admits that it takes a lot of business acumen and loyal customers to sustain a business through a hurricane the proportions of Katrina, a diagnosis of breast cancer, and single parenting, but Cuevas has done just that.
Strandz was originally housed on Highway 90 by the hospital. At that time, Cuevas employed seven stylists. When Katrina hit in 2005, the building flooded. Rather than admit defeat, Cuevas moved her salon into her house. She continued there and operated a full-service salon for ten years before moving to her current location on the corner of deMontluzin and Second Street in the same building as The Ugly Pirate.
“You have to have a town in order to have a business,” Cuevas says, “and this is my town. This town helped me maintain a business as a single parent. It helped me through my battle with breast cancer, and I am happy to say that I am a 13-year survivor. My customers support my business, and I appreciate every last one of them.”
Cuevas loves working in Old Town, taking walks around town, and meeting new people.
Strandz is a full-service salon featuring Joico and Matrix professional hair care and hair styling products. Cuevas offers haircuts, color, perms, blow dry, flat iron, and relaxers.