Cindy Ludwig, owner of 7 and Main Salon in Standale, described how she built the business to support stylists and how serving on the City of Walker’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has deepened her involvement in local development.

Ludwig said the salon’s "vision was to provide a beautiful space for very talented individuals," and that staff participation shaped the business’s name and operations. She told the Made in Walker podcast she and her team prioritized training and a workplace culture that could sustain the business if an owner steps away.

The episode outlined Ludwig’s path into the industry. She attended the Kent Career Technical Center cosmetology program in high school and later served on a board trying to preserve the program; Ludwig said that program ultimately closed because it became "too expensive and there wasn't enough filtration into the community." She returned to college and completed two degrees over roughly two decades before becoming a salon owner.

On operations, Ludwig described industry shifts that have affected scheduling and staffing. She said newer trainees "just haven't had as much work experience," prompting the salon to adopt a level-based pricing and training system to integrate less-experienced stylists while maintaining service standards. Ludwig said the salon has added online scheduling and shorter service options to meet changing customer needs and plans to increase scheduling availability next year.

Ludwig also addressed the emotional dimensions of salon work, calling the client experience "the celebrity experience" and noting stylists often become long-term confidants for clients. "We've been serving in the community for over 20 years," she said, describing multigenerational relationships and the responsibility staff feel to support clients through life events.

As a DDA member, Ludwig said she stepped up after meeting Mayor Carey during the pandemic, when he "was very helpful in helping us navigate that very challenging time." She described serving on the Downtown Development Authority as an opportunity to "learn more about the city, more about how everything works" and to collaborate with other business leaders on planned improvements in Standale, such as proposals for land behind the fire station. Ludwig acknowledged resident concerns about the pace of building but said controls are in place and leaders aim to reflect community preferences.

Ludwig said she and her family have lived in Walker for almost 10 years and that the salon intends to grow without losing the personal touch that defines the business. For appointments or more information, she provided an email (hellosevenandmainsalon dot com), a phone number ((616) 453-7888) and referenced the salon’s Facebook page and website.

The Made in Walker episode closes by inviting listener feedback at podcast@walker.city and noting the podcast is the City of Walker’s official show.