“Take chances. They are worth it in the end.”

That’s the quote that Fringe Salon founder Alessandra Anderson chose for her high school yearbook, but it has guided her professionally as well. For starters her location, at 151 N. Main Street in West Bend, just went through a total remodel from top to bottom (Or head-to-toe, since it is a salon after all). And the results look great!

While keeping as much of the original building as possible, she was able to preserve most of the original flooring, baseboards and walls at the front of the salon. However, the entire ceiling is now a beautiful new tin style. She also removed all the old carpeting inside and made the hardwood floors more presentable.

Fringe is a full-service hair salon that offers haircuts, colors, waxing and more. As far as hair trends and specialties go, Alessandra makes sure that she is on top of all the popular styles. Whether it be hand painting highlights onto the hair, a technique known as balayage, lobs, beach waves or variations of the timeless shag, she has seen many popular styles come and go, and many others that have remained long-time favorites. Whatever you want, she can handle it.

Alessandra at work

Alessandra tries to make everyone feel comfortable in her chair. Whether they are male, female, adult or child, everyone is welcome at her salon. This is a mantra she tries to live by outside of the salon too. She and her husband try their best to be involved in as many things in the West Bend community as they can.

“That’s the thing about West Bend,” Alessandra said, “There’s almost always something to do. No matter what time of year it is.”

And this doesn’t just mean everyday things. Alessandra and her family are also active with several non-profits, including Destination Dino-Liam, an organization that helps organize road trips for families dealing with childhood cancers.

Being so involved and busy, it is no wonder that Alessandra cites Dory from the Disney movie “Finding Nemo” as her favorite character. She says that she too gets distracted by almost every little thing, especially when a cute dog walks by.

Curious about the latest specials, or just need a trim? You can reach Alessandra either through her Facebook page @Fringebyalessandra or her Instagram page @fringebyalessandra.

 

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LMC is a full service guerrilla marketing and business development shop focused on social media, web design, strategic planning, creative campaigns, PR and copywriting. WWW.LMCLLC.US 262-353-3412 @laurahmitchell

109 N. 6th Ave, downtown West Bend next to Slesar Glass

Have you ever walked into a store and instantly smiled? That was the case when I visited Laughing Mountain Gourmet Popcorn for the first time. From the moment I walked in the door, I was greeted with delicious smells, a friendly environment, and the bright colors of the wide variety of popcorn flavors. I couldn’t help but smile. Owners Mark and Nancy Laufenberg immediately made me feel welcome as we talked about Laughing Mountain, Jack Daniels and all things that taste delicious.

Laughing Mountain was born in June of 2015 when the Laufenbergs made a cool discovery. Their son had started shipping bags of his grandparents’ delicious caramel corn to all his friends. Beyond these college kids, they realized there was an untapped market for the family’s signature popcorn. As fate would have it, a storefront in downtown West Bend was available. They named their store Laughing Mountain (a translation of their last name) and the rest is history.

Featuring 35 in-stock flavors at any one time, Laughing Mountain also has the ability to make over 60 different flavor combinations. Some are instant hits while others, like the Gingered Jack made with Jack Daniels, are more of a complicated experiment requiring several rounds of testing and tweaking before they’re satisfied that it’s ready. I must say, however, that the “not ready” Gingered Jack batch that I tried was wonderful, so I can’t even imagine how good the finished product will taste! I also learned about some brand-new summer flavor launches including: “Unicorn” and “S’mores”. If you’re looking for a last-minute gift, the perfect office snack or just a tasty treat, Laughing Mountain certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Popcorn is not the only thing they offer, either. They also have smoothies, coffee, cocoa and cold drinks. They do gift baskets and corporate gifts that they can ship using either the US Postal Service or UPS (including APO addresses). This allows them to serve popcorn lovers everywhere. They can do small batches of gourmet flavored popcorns, for truly personalized options.

 

It’s not just about popcorn, though. Mark and Nancy are also trying to make West Bend a better community. They open early for the Farmer’s Market, and they stay open late during the popular “Music On Main” series every summer.

“We view our shop as a means of being a blessing to the world we serve,” Mark says.

Two of the charities that they regularly support are Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County, and the LiFE of Hope Project that aims to lower the number of suicides, through raised awareness and education.

By giving everyone who walks through their doors a great experience, Laughing Mountain does their own part for helping make West Bend that much better. The Laufenbergs realize that people in West Bend value the downtown area, which is the center of the city. They believe that as this area improves, the entirety of West Bend improves along with it.

You can follow them on Facebook at @laughingmountainpopcorn or on Instagram @laughingmountainpopcorn.

About LMC Biz Buzz

Keep up to date with all of our Biz Buzz articles by liking our Facebook page, and following us on Instagram @lmcmarketing. We will see you next time!

#LMCintheWB #WBBizBuzz #LMCMktg

LMC is a full-service guerrilla marketing and business development shop, focused on social media, web design, strategic planning, creative campaigns, PR and copywriting. WWW.LMCLLC.US 262-353-3412 @laurahmitchell

109 N. 6th Ave, downtown West Bend next to Slesar Glass