Longtime Covite opens barber shop, salon
By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press
Creating stylish hairdos is a ‘snip’ at Paisley Barber Shop & Salon, one of Copperas Cove’s newest barber shops.
Paisley Barber Shop & Salon may be new to Cove, but owner Elizabeth Littlejohn is not. Littlejohn graduated from Copperas Cove High School in 1982. Shortly after that, she got her cosmetology license.
After getting her license, Littlejohn worked for salons like Master Cuts and JC Penny Hair Salon before becoming the manager of SmartStyle Hair Salon in Walmart in 1989.
Then Littlejohn had a 20-year career in the United States Army, spending time in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Germany, and other places, eventually retiring in October 2015. During her entire time in the service, Littlejohn said it was important to her to keep her cosmetology license up to date.
“I always knew I could do it, I just wanted to experience it,” said Littlejohn about why she chose to open her own salon. “I know that I’ll be successful.”
In addition to fulfilling her own dream, Littlejohn says she hopes her new salon will bring six or seven jobs to the community. She is hoping to hire other skilled and passionate cosmetologists.
“There is an art and a science to it,” said Littlejohn, speaking excitedly about the art of hair cutting. “You have to have a passion and a love for it.”
Littlejohn said she’s had a passion for cutting hair ever since she was a child. Littlejohn laughed, saying that when she was growing up, everything with hair on it—from Barbie dolls to pets—got their hair cut.
Now that she’s retired from the military, Littlejohn is also hoping to use her salon as a way to give back. As a veteran herself, Littlejohn has a special place in her heart for helping her fellow veterans. She said through Operation Stand Down Central Texas, she offers free haircuts to homeless veterans as a way to help them get back on their feet and look nice for potential job interviews.
In addition to helping the veterans, at 9:30 a.m. on the first Monday of every month, Littlejohn cuts hair at the Copperas Cove Senior Center, where she offers her services for donations.
“I think you can’t take from society all the time,” said Littlejohn. She said we don’t live in a take, take, take society, that sometimes you have to give back. “It’s more blessed to give than to receive,” she added.
Paisley Barber Shop & Salon is currently offering $5 haircuts to anyone visiting her parlor for the first time. All haircuts also include a free shampooing. The salon also offers color corrections, hair coloring, highlights, perms, and more.
The salon is located at 98 Cove Terrace Shopping Center and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sundays.