Danny Zuko himself, John Travolta, stopped by the Grease-inspired Frenchy’s Beauty Parlor in Magnolia Park recently. The Academy-award nominee and Golden Globe winning actor had been in the area and was curious about the beauty salon because of its name.
“He was very interested in our history, explaining that he had come in because he was driving down Magnolia after an appointment and saw the Frenchy’s Beauty Parlor sign,” commented salon owner Lacey Walker. “Frenchy’s reminded him of Grease, and he was pleased to know that the Frenchy character in Grease was the inspiration for our name.”
At first, Walker said, the receptionist Stephanie was “totally shocked” when Travolta walked in. Travolta inquired about openings later that day and gave a fictitious name. The receptionist instantly recognized him, but went along with it, even “though he knew she knew.”
Then, Ashley Largey, Frenchy’s creative director/master stylist came over and introduced herself. Once Largey offered Travolta a place to wait that wasn’t visible from the front window, he relaxed and chatted with the stylists and other guests in the salon.
Stylist Kayla Wagner, who recently moved to California from Nebraska, had her own star-struck moment when she discovered she was going to be doing Travolta’s hair. She was “shocked, excited and extremely nervous” and her heart was pounding and hands shaking as she greeted him.
Wagner was able to calm herself and while doing his hair, she enjoyed talking with him about her life in Nebraska and her impressions of California so far. She said, “He was very conversational.”
Walker and Travolta talked about the story behind the salon and its growth. The beauty parlor owner said, “He liked the shop and would recommend that his daughter come in to get her hair done.”
The article’s reporter failed to do some investigative journalism. Otherwise, it would have been reported that the original co-owners, Amy Wilson and Linda Husjord, came up with the concept of Frenchy’s. I witnessed the concept and the creative process of these ladies as well as all the hard work they put in to open the shop.
Amy Wilson was the hairstylist genius, and Linda Husjord was the manager. Amy sold her share of the shop to Linda and moved to Temecula. Linda was the sole owner for several years until she sold it Lacey. Linda moved to Austin, Texas where she opened a Frenchy’s Salon there.
Too bad Travolta did not drive by to visit when Amy and Linda owned the salon, they would have been thrilled to meet him. Travolta would have loved the ladies too as well as my niece Alyssa Sandoval who worked there with Amy and Linda.
Just want to give credit to the ladies that, with their hard work, created Frenchy’s Salon.
“We’ll always be together” only in a very loose sense, huh?
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