If you live in Five Points, SC and want to become a hair stylist, Hyde Salon offers the training, mentorship, and chair you need to actually build a career. Our Vista location at 801 Gervais Street is about a 5-minute drive from Five Points, and we hire apprentices, junior stylists, senior stylists, and master stylists. We carry Oribe, Kerastase, and Jolie Skin Co. Owner Lee Chamberlain leads a team of 30+ stylists. Email support@hydesalons.com or call 803-723-2410 to start the conversation.
Become a Hair Stylist Near Five Points, SC
Why Stylists From Five Points Drive to Hyde Salon
The drive from Five Points to our Vista location takes about 5 minutes on a normal weekday. The route runs along Harden Street to Gervais Street, which is a corridor most Five Points residents already know well. You will see Harden Street, Saluda Avenue, the USC campus edge, and the Five Points fountain on the way in. The closer you get to Gervais Street, the more you feel the shift into the Vista, which is the cultural heart of downtown Columbia.
How to Become a Hair Stylist in South Carolina
Here is what schools do not teach you. Speed. Pricing conversations. Color corrections under a real time clock. Walking a client through five years of bad box dye without making them feel judged. Reading the difference between a guest who wants honesty and a guest who wants a friend. The license gets you the right to stand behind the chair. The salon teaches you how to actually own the chair.
That is why the salon you start at matters more than most people realize. A bad first salon will teach you bad habits, leave you behind on technique, and burn you out before you turn 25. A good first salon will compound on the foundation school built and turn you into a professional within two to three years.
Where Hyde Salon Fits Into Your Path
We hire at every level, including pre-licensure assistants who work as receptionists or shampoo techs while they finish their hours. We have apprenticeship slots that pair you directly with a senior stylist who runs a full book. We have junior stylist chairs for new licensees, and we have senior and master positions for stylists who already have a book. Whether you are 19 and just enrolled at a Five Points-area cosmetology school or 27 and ready to leave a chain salon, we have a slot.
Mentorship at Hyde is not a buzzword. It is scheduled. Apprentices are paired with a primary mentor and a secondary mentor. They sit in on real consultations, watch formulations, run color back-bar, and over time take on guests one section at a time. By the time an apprentice graduates to a junior chair, they have already cut and colored hundreds of heads under direct supervision.
Who Works at Hyde Salon
Hyde Salon is owned by Lee Chamberlain and operates two locations, our flagship in the Vista at 801 Gervais Street STE C in Columbia and our Chapin location at 1210 Chapin Road. The team is 30+ stylists deep across both locations. We have been voted Best Salon, and we did not get there by accident.
The team includes apprentices in their first months, junior stylists building their first books, senior stylists running full schedules, and master stylists who have been in the chair for a decade or more. We carry every level on purpose. A team without apprentices has no future. A team without masters has no ceiling. We need both.
What makes the team work is the standard. Every stylist on the floor is expected to keep their education current, treat guests with respect, support the team around them, and represent the brand outside the salon as well as inside. Five Points applicants who join us tend to comment on the same thing in their first week. The team actually likes each other. That is rare in this industry, and we protect it.
The Career Path at Hyde Salon
Junior Stylist
Junior stylists are licensed and taking their own guests on a structured schedule. Junior stylists usually run a hybrid of overflow guests from senior stylists and walk-ins, while continuing to attend education sessions. Most junior stylists move to senior status within 12 to 24 months.
Brands, Tools, and Continuing Education
The brands a salon carries say a lot about the salon. We carry Oribe for styling and finishing, Kerastase for retail and treatment, and Jolie Skin Co. for our skincare line. These are not random picks. Each line reflects what we believe about hair and skin: that the right ingredients, applied correctly by a trained professional, produce results clients can see and feel.
For stylists, that means working with product lines that perform. Apprentices and new grads get hands-on training with each brand as part of the onboarding process. Color training, finishing technique, and treatment protocols are all built into the education calendar.
Culture and Environment
Hyde Salon has been voted Best Salon multiple years running, and the culture is the reason. The team operates with professional standards, mutual respect, and zero drama. Stylists support each other, share knowledge, and push each other to grow.
Mentorship is part of the daily rhythm. Senior stylists work alongside newer team members, sharing technique, client communication strategies, and consultation approaches. The environment is collaborative, focused, and career-driven. Every stylist on the floor is here because they want to build a long-term career, not punch a clock.
The salon is set up to support stylists at every stage of their career. Continuing education is built into the schedule. Team meetings focus on craft, growth, and elevating the guest experience. This is a workplace built for professionals who take their work seriously.
Getting to Hyde Salon From Five Points
Our Vista location sits at 801 Gervais Street STE C, Columbia, SC 29201. From Five Points, the typical drive takes about 5 minutes via Harden Street to Gervais Street.
Parking is available in the Vista, including street parking on Gervais and Lincoln, and several public lots within a short walk. Most stylists settle into a regular parking pattern within their first two weeks.
If you are coming for an interview or a salon visit, plan for 5 minutes of drive time plus five minutes to find parking and walk in. We will have you sit down with Lee or a senior team member, walk the floor, and get a real feel for whether the team is a fit. We do not do rushed interviews. We do real conversations.
Our Chapin location at 1210 Chapin Road is the alternative for stylists who live north of Columbia and want a shorter drive. Both locations run the same standards and the same career path.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I am still in cosmetology school?
Reach out anyway. We hire students for assistant and front desk roles, and we have placed students in apprenticeship pipelines as soon as they finish school. Starting the conversation early is one of the best moves a future stylist can make.
Can I shadow a stylist before applying?
Yes. We offer salon shadow days for serious applicants. You spend a half day on the floor with a senior stylist, watch consultations and services, and get a real feel for the pace. Email support@hydesalons.com to ask about a shadow day.
Where is Hyde Salon located relative to Five Points?
Our Vista location is at 801 Gervais Street STE C, Columbia, SC 29201, about 5 minutes from Five Points via Harden Street to Gervais Street. Our Chapin location is at 1210 Chapin Road, Chapin, SC 29036.
What is the commute time from Five Points?
Around 5 minutes on a normal weekday using Harden Street to Gervais Street. Rush hour can add five to ten minutes depending on time of day.
What does the typical day look like for a stylist at Hyde Salon?
A typical day blends client services with team support. Stylists handle consultations, color and cut services, and finishing. Between appointments, the team collaborates on technique, reviews upcoming bookings, and supports newer team members. The pace is professional and focused.
Does Hyde Salon offer continuing education?
Yes. Continuing education is built into the culture. Stylists have access to ongoing training in color, cutting, and consultation skills. The salon partners with leading brands and educators to keep the team sharp and current.
How to Apply
Applying to Hyde Salon is simple. Email support@hydesalons.com with your name, your status (in school, recently licensed, or experienced), and a short note about why you are reaching out. Attach a resume if you have one. If you have social media that shows your work, include the link.
You can also call our Vista location at 803-723-2410 or our Chapin location at 803-291-9221. Ask for the manager and let them know you are interested in joining the team.
From the Five Points area, most applicants prefer email because it gives our team a chance to review your background before the first call. Either path works.
Ready to Build a Real Career?
Stylists from Five Points have built careers at Hyde Salon that they could not have built anywhere else in the Columbia metro. The chair is here. The mentorship is here. The team is here. The only thing missing is you.
Join Our Team
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