MJ Styles, an Iowa Park business on the grow

Lisa Dell’Amore
Iowa Park Journal
Choosing a name for your baby is one thing but choosing a name for your business, well, that’s another story. And so it begins.
Melissa Jo Morin, owner of MJ Styles Salon in Iowa Park, will tell you that she named her business because of her mom.
“My mother always called me MJ growing up. I absolutely hated it and after losing her, I wanted to do something in her memory,” Morin explained. So one night while sifting through sorts for business names, Morin thought, well, what about MJ Styles? And, wouldn’t you know, her brand was stamped.
Morin, a master stylist and color specialist, got her start in hairdressing at a young age.
“I gained interest when my sister was in cosmetology in high school. She worked at Regis (former salon) in Wichita as the receptionist and I would sit and watch her boss lady do hair,” said Morin.
She was 18 when she finished the 1,500-hour cosmetology program at Iowa Park High School.
In 2014, she worked her first job for six years as a cosmetology operator at a neighboring salon in Iowa Park. In 2020, she moved on up to her one-stop shop at 111 W. Park Avenue.
“I’ve always had a dream to have my own salon,” Morin explained. “When I started (at the first job), I did everything to grow my business. I would go to any class; continuing education classes,” she said. She grew an impressive clientele rapidly in three months.
And her business continues to grow, and with it her staff. Morin has 13 employees who can either cut, color, style, or wax as you like. Men’s and women’s styles are available as well as tanning, teeth whitening, and more recently, Botox injections, administered by a certified RN.
MJ Styles boasts more than 200 clients, with over 38 years of combined cosmetology experience. Customers travel from as far away as Waco, Abilene, and even West Texas.
Last month, Community Votes for Wichita Falls 2024 awarded MJ Styles the Gold status for Hair Salons, the Platinum status for Tanning Salons, and the Bronze Title for Barber Shops and Men’s Hairdressers.
“I never thought my business would ever sprout because of being in such a small town. Every single day I strive to be bigger and better,” voiced Morin.