New in town

Salon 1131 & Gibby's Grinders

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The owners of Old Town’s newest business have picked a heck of a weekend to launch their grand opening. As Oktoberfest patrons slur their way through German folk songs backed up by the oompah-pah band down the street, Lindsay Jones and her partner, Roberto Cantu, are throwing a decidedly lower key event at the brand new Salon 1131.

“We’re going to be offering hors d’oeuvres, glasses of wine and giving away free salon services,” Jones said. She calls it a grand opening; we call it counterprogramming.

The salon is located, appropriately, at 1131 N. Washington Ave. in the Walker Building. Jones said Salon 1131 features six stations, four of which have full-time stylists behind them. So with two other salons nearby — the Head Room Salon across the street and Bella Rio Salon around the corner — is there room for a third?

“We’re not trying to duplicate anyone else’s style,“ Jones said. “We provide services that no one else in Old Town, or even in Lansing, are doing.”

Those services include waxing and full hair and nail care , including pedicures.

Jones attended Excel Academies of Cosmetology near Frandor and brings 10 years of experience with her, while Cantu went to the Sassoon Academy in California and has 13 years of experience. Salon 1131 technically opened three weeks ago — the grand opening event this weekend goes from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“Our goal is to give the business an urban feel,” Jones said. “We want to be trendier, give an up-and-coming feel to the salon and stay up-to-date with education. Basically, it’s going to be a completely different vibe.”

New sub shop opensAlthough the original Gibson´s Bookstore in East Lansing closed three years ago, the downtown Lansing location near Lansing Community College is continuing to expand its scope. When it opened in 1959, Gibson’s was just a bookstore. A café was added in 1995, and this week the newest addition opened: Gibby´s Grinders.

“It’s all about variety,” said owner Matt Buche. “If you have more choices, it makes it easier to make everyone happy.”

Matt’s daughter, Danielle Buche, runs Gibby’s, and she says that the business’s growth has been organic, coinciding naturally with the demand.

“When the LCC cafeteria closed earlier this year, our café started getting swamped,” she says. “This space (adjacent to the bookstore) had been empty for 15 years, so we moved in. It all happened pretty quickly.”

Gibby’s features 6-inch, 12-inch and 24-inch subs on either white or wheat bread, as well as pizza by the slice, garlic bread and a choice of three soups: broccoli cheese, cream of potato and chili. Buche says all soups and breads are made in-house daily, with pre-made salads joining the lineup soon.

But the small shop´s most interesting feature is the wall of Gibsons. They´ve got Mel, Tyrese and Kirk already.

If someone´s name is Gibson or has the nickname Gibby, they´re going up, Buche said.

Best getting betterThe Best Steakhouse, 3020 E. Kalamazoo St. on the corner of Clippert Street, is under construction.

There is a recorded message at their store number saying it will reopen this fall. We’ll keep you informed.

Salon 1131 1131 N. Washington Ave., Lansing 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat. (517) 367-2060

Gibby’s Grinders 320 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fri. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat. (517) 484-6988

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