Walking into the Main Look, visitors find an environment that balances elegance with fun. There is a comfy area of couches as a waiting area, while mirrors and beauty products also greet the eye. It appears effortless, as the friendly stylists greet customers and move briskly about their tasks, but every established salon has a story behind it, and The Main Look is no different in that regard.
Getting Started on Main
In the early 2000s, Kym McCaughey’s past place of employment was about to close. She thought about her own past experiences with small businesses and spoke with another stylist there. What if they started their own salon in Hamilton?
“We were just coworkers who had worked together for many years, so we started looking,” she said. “I had a cancellation one afternoon and I went and checked out this location here. I saw that this could work.”
She chose to open the salon on Main Street at a time when there were few businesses on her block or throughout the street. Her first hurdle was renovating the building, but they made it happen: “We had 6 weeks, and my husband took almost every Friday off work to come help.”
Next, they had to tackle the reputation Main Street had for not having enough parking. To make the experience smooth for the customers, they made a map indicating all the available parking, and worked with other local businesses to find overflow options during their off hours.
McCaughey’s philosophy of running a small business has carried her from opening day on April 4th 2006 all the way to now, 12 years later.
“Offer great services for a fair price, and create a fun atmosphere, and don’t be afraid to work,” she said. 
Seeing Main Street Progress
McCaughey has been involved with the Main Street Area Association, a group that connects business owners on the street and helps to organize events. “Everyone who is in Main Street Area Association are very committed, a small group of very go-getters,” she said. “Events help get people here. Hamilton is a great place to do business, you just have to work hard. The people will come out if you give them something to come out for.”
McCaughey still is excited for further growth on the blocks of Main Street that haven’t gotten as many new businesses. “We like saying ‘we were on Main Street before Main Street was cool,” she says. Getting to watch Main Street transform and grow has been one of the benefits of being a long-standing business there.
The Rewards of Small Business
McCaughey and the Main Look give back to the community as well. She has joined the city Nuisance Board, sponsored local concerts, and is working on a partnership with the YWCA.
As the business has grown, McCaughey has gotten to see her employees flourish as professionals. “I love seeing my girls grow as stylists, from when I first hire them and on after that. One of our strengths is that we all work as a team; if someone needs you, we all pitch in,” she said. “They grow our culture together. You feed them, you water them, and they grow.”
McCaughey is optimistic about business in Hamilton; she still loves the feeling of turning a new customer into a regular and of providing a great service. “You get a high from watching your business grow,” she said. “It represents your hard work come to fruition.”