Supporting Beauty and Confidence: The Salon62 Legacy

Decades of beauty services, one common goal: helping people feel beautiful and confident in themselves and their hair. Located at 1112 Garden Street in downtown San Luis Obispo, Salon62 has been celebrating female entrepreneurship since Ollie Hughes first opened her doors in 1935. Today, that legacy lives on through owner Kim Boege and her talented team of stylists, who remain dedicated to their craft and to cultivating confidence throughout the community. Their commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed as Salon62 was voted Best Hair Salon in San Luis Obispo County in the New Times Best of SLO County 2025 readers poll.

Kim’s cosmetology journey began just over 20 years ago with a bold career change. After owning and operating a preschool, she found herself inspired by the passion her sister-in-law had for hairstyling. When Kim turned 40, she decided to follow that spark, enrolling in beauty school and embracing an entirely new professional path. After earning her license, she opened her own salon, named after her birthday, 6/2/1962. Determined to succeed, she poured herself into building something meaningful. What began with a handful of walk-ins and call-ins steadily grew into a thriving salon now home to 11 close-knit, family-like team members. Through perseverance and heart, her vision has become a cornerstone of downtown SLO.

Salon62 invests in its employees just as intentionally as it cares for its clients. Kim’s caring nature, evident in both her preschool and salon careers, naturally shaped her leadership style. Unlike many salons that operate on a booth rental model, this is an employee-based business, which ensures stylists receive benefits such as sick pay, social security contributions, stable working hours, etc. Kim, alongside her daughter Emilie, the salon’s general manager, prioritizes creating a supportive and secure work environment. Salon62 has seen consistent team stability over the years, which is an attribute to the care, respect, and supportive culture cultivated within the salon.

The Salon62 stylists take pride in welcoming community members as clients and watching them leave as friends. For Kim, leadership is not simply about authority, but rather to care for those in your charge and create opportunities for them to grow. Success, in her eyes, is measured by seeing her team thrive both professionally and personally. She encourages fellow business owners to remember that when you stand behind your employees, they will stand behind you.

The history of San Luis Obispo lives throughout the downtown corridor, and this long standing business is no exception. Hair has been styled within its walls for over 90 years, making it a treasured staple of the community. Behind the salon sits a historic annex that once operated as a flower shop in the 1920s and 1930s. Local clergy from the Mission would ride up on horseback to collect florals. Today, that same annex has been thoughtfully preserved and repurposed as a space for waxing and lash services. By sharing the building’s story with clients, Salon62 honors the past while continuing to write its own chapter in downtown history.

At its heart, Salon62 is guided by Kim’s mission to help every client leave feeling confident and empowered. The salon has become known for its expertise in curly and textured hair, with Kim personally training each stylist to celebrate and enhance natural waves and curls rather than defaulting to straightening. For Kim, it is a privilege to see clients walk out proud of their natural texture.

For more than 90 years, 1112 Garden Street has been a place for encouragement, community, and opportunity. From Ollie Hughes’ early leadership in 1935 to Kim Boege’s servant-hearted leadership today, Salon62 stands as a testament to the power of women-led legacy businesses in downtown San Luis Obispo. In preserving history, investing in people, and promoting authentic beauty, Salon62 continues to shape the community it so proudly serves.