New salon in Cape Girardeau fulfills lifelong dream

Michaelann Stortz had always wanted to be a hairstylist.

She had more than a decade of experience under her belt, graduated from cosmetology school to get a Missouri license, and had gone straight into booth rentals, building a large clientele in a short amount of time.

"Then COVID kind of hit and I had a come-to-Jesus moment," she said. "I decided it was time to change my life and chase my dreams because life is very short."

So, instead of renting space in another shop in Jackson, she decided to start her own. Stortz opened Wild Roots Salon & Boutique on Jan. 4 at 1028 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

"I made myself a promise, that was in October of last year, and I said I would be in a space by January of this year," she said. "... I actually think it's benefited a lot of my clients because a lot of them were coming from Cape after work into Jackson."

Wild Roots is a full-service skin and hair salon. Stortz provides haircuts, coloring, waxing and extensions.

She also offers various natural skincare and hair care products for sale.

Stortz, her husband and her father completed the turnaround from empty space to complete salon in just two days.

"I grabbed the keys on (Dec. 28) and we started Jan. 1," she said. "There was one day me and my husband just slept here because we were working so hard. I knew I could only take a short period of time off because I had clients."

She said she offers a more private salon experience than she had in the past, normally working on two clients at a time instead of three.

Stortz approached the Kingshighway location with an idea of what she wanted the salon to look like already formed in her head.

Her family members have always been supportive of her passion, but not everyone has. Stortz said her high school guidance counselor tried to discourage her from attending cosmetology school.

"His exact words to me were, 'You will not make any money.' So when I went into hair school, I was like, it's a hobby ... well, its not a hobby. Women can actually make a really good living at this," she said. "So that guidance counselor, he didn't know what he was talking about."

Unique boutique

In addition to her salon services and beauty products, Stortz is also offering a selection of women's clothing.

"I go a million miles a minute, and I really wanted a boutique," she said.

Having previously lived in southern Florida, she said when she came to Southeast Missouri she couldn't find much of the same fashion she loved.

Stortz said she wants her clients to have access to clothing she loves, and hopefully they'll love, that they can't find elsewhere.

"Just a little extra sparkle for people," she added.

The boutique, which she expects to open in a month's time, will be in a room adjacent to the salon. Her husband is currently putting it together.

She has an online store available for boutique items that is already up and running.

"This industry has given me the ability to make my own schedule, provide well for my children, and given me the creativity that I really was craving in life," Stortz said. "This is all I've ever really wanted to do, and I'm happy. I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life right now."

Wild Roots Salon & Boutique is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays, and varying times every other Saturday.

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