Meet Salih Watts | Owner of Loc Lov Salons

We had the good fortune of connecting with Salih Watts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Salih, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Well, I never set out to start my own business, Loc Lov as a salon came together because I grew too big inside of a salon where I rented 1 chair. I moved to From Philly to DC where my goal was to be the most popular stylist in whatever salon i joined. What happened was began getting so many clients I had to hire a shampoo assistant within 2 months of relocating to DC. My client numbers increased so quickly I had rent a second chair then train and promote my assistant to a stylist while hiring a new assistant for the both of us. Within 3 years those two chairs and three staff became 4 chairs and 7 staff in a salon that had 7 chairs, we became the majority presents in that salon. It became very clear that we had to get our own space which was a little difficult because none of that was a part of the plan but once we got our own space, we already had a following, a clientele, and a staff, so it was pretty easy, and from there, we gained a reputation for being at the top of our game with awards and articles in national magazines. It was clear that we could expand and so after 10 years in DC I moved to LA in August 2019 to open up our LA location here where I currently live.

I moved to LA at the most interesting time, 7 months before we had to close our doors due to covid. That was a tough time because we were so new and needed to close but also pay rent. With the rest of the country I wasn’t sure what was next but the least i could so was plan, which is exactly what I did. I challenged myself to figure it out regardless of how difficult it seemed so I would know how to pivot. I realized I have staff and clientele on two coast who relied on me and I took the pressure on. Loc Lov became digital and we started holding clasess and communicating with clients online. We started shipping retail products more and intstructions for home use. I began doing research of how I would need to equip the salon differently for when we were allowed to open,

With the advice from the CDC and other articles I read coupled with my own form of common sense I created the Loc Lov protocol which was a 11 point process we used to transtion clients back into the salon once we got the ok. I was had a gut feeling all small business owners around the country were doing the same thing so i felt i was in a race to purchase what we needed to be safe before others, which I did. Then the unexpected happend, Vouge Magazine called me out of the blue and said they wanted to write an article about our 11 point process. They said she had the most extensive and well thought out procedure to return to business than any they found in the country. I was shocked of course and in that 2020 article the coined us as, “the nations thought leaders on small business reopening post covid”. That special mention encouraged me that I was on the right page and after being closed 5 months we reopened and hit the ground running. So to answer your question my though process was to go with the flow and energy of what was happening naturally and see what happened next.

What should our readers know about your business?

The major backdrop behind Loclov as a business is a focus on quality. Quality experience, quality products, and expert technique backed by on going education. We developed a training we provide our staff to ensure we all learn and are proficient in the same techniques. Our products are natural and of the highest quality ingredients. We exclusively use an organic vegan color line and have used it for 8 years. This whole experience as a salon owner has come from knowing and believing that the loc community deserved and needed the same high quality experience other salons had and it could be exclusively for Loc’ed clientele.

What sets us apart is not only your dedication to quality, but our consistency and ability to maintain this reputation. We continue improving and keeping up with technology while learning the new techniques as they come out; it’s all about continuing learning and incorporating trends. It’s the love for community that has put the energy behind me to create a business that sets the standard.

Loc Lov LA has been a passion project. I set out to rewrite how my industry is seen and understood. I believed in the old saying “if you build it, they will come” and that gamble has paid off. My gut told me if I built a salon specific to locs in a moment where Black people began embracing their natural hair we would have enough of a clientele and following. I just didn’t want to create any salon but a salon that rivals some of the best salons in LA. From interior design to our custom salon app we work to stay ahead of the curve.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a close friend visiting LA, I would take them to all of my favorite food places because I’m a big-time foodie and I love to cook and eat out. My list of stops would include my favorite Vietnamese, Jamaican and vegan food spots in LA. Pho Show in Culver City, which is my favorite pho restaurant would likely be a first stop but we would also have to visit Ktown pho to compare. My favorite Jamaican restaurant can be determined by what i want to eat at the moment. My top three Jamaican spots we would have to visit are Hungry Joe’s and Blessed which are both in Inglewood also Wah Gwan of Liemert Park which is a newer business but they have the best jerk chicken in the city by far. One thing I’ve learned after moving to LA is how well this area of the country has master vegan food. At festivals I always look for Baba vegan for their “soul plate and vegan mac & cheese”, the staff are friendly and professional but more importantly the food is good. Lastly I would have to swing by Stevie’s Creole café on Pico because they can’t be compared to anyone, their flavor profile revivals all Louisiana style restaurants in LA for Gumbo so i’ve been there several times. For down home breakfast spot we would visit The Serving Spoon of Inglewood, it’s consistent and familiar.

My move to LA has heavily influenced my interest in nature. I joined a group called Black Men Hike LA which has become a brotherhood and a network that connects me to so many other LA happenings. I try to overlap my guest visits with a hike weekend which is the first Saturday of the month so they can experience the hike and the camaraderie. A more local activity we would have to go and check out are the Culver City stairs so I can see if he gets just as exhausted as I was the first time I was introduced to the stairs. We would have to go explore hiking in Altadena. I never thought I would enjoy hiking, but I moved to LA and that story has changed.

LA has been a light bulb moment for me around self care and my east coast homies would need to experience what I’ve learned. Wei spa in Ktown would be a first stop, then to my favorite private massage studio in Hyde Park, I would introduce them to sound bowl therapy before doing some research on local exhibits we could visit. One of the more profound exhibits I’ve been exposed to is the Basquiat exhibit. Also Black on the Block or Black Market Flea are monthly outings we would have to pull up on if the visit overlapped with those events. LA always has something gong on in the art seen you just have to keep your ear to the ground for what coming and going on.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shot out would have to go to Zee Watts my sister. She relocated to the area after I asked her to leave her job and move to DC to help with the increasing demand when it all started. My sister was the very first salon assistant and staff of Loc Lov other than myself. After training she became a stylist, then trainer of all new hires, and now a licensed trichologist and cosmetology instructor. Because of her passion giving real resolutions to clients with scalp issues Zee studied product development and developed Haku Holistics. Haku is has been Loc Lov’s household product backbar and retail. Haku has resolved dermatitis symptoms for so many clients over the years. Haku has been the primary product used in Loc Lov salons for 15 years.

Zee is now the manager of the DC location. She has dreams of expanding her product line and creating a institute for natural hair care.

Website: www.loclov.com

Instagram: loclovla

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoclovLA/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnprQUu1W9LwYlL6pRcSugQ

Other: https://www.vagaro.com/loclovsalon

Image Credits
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