Business Spotlight: Color Matrix CafeSalon
Welcome to Chinatown spoke with Wing Guan, owner of Color Matrix CafeSalon. Mr. Guan opened Color Matrix in 2017, providing service tailored to each of his clients. In September 2020, Color Matrix was forced to close after the storefront was damaged by a fire in a neighboring building on Grand Street. He is re-opening today, January 22, 2021. You can support Mr. Guan and Color Matrix by donating to Color Matrix's fundraising page hosted by Send Chinatown Love, and help his business get back on its feet. Photos featured are courtesy of Mr. Guan.
Tell us about yourself!
In 1984 at 20 years old I immigrated to the U.S. with my mother. When we had just arrived, I was pretty young and felt a little lost as to what I should do as a career. Every day after school, I would walk past a salon now called Tease Group, on 1st and 13th, and I would see the lead hairstylist there - his name was Peter. I decided to go in and apply for a job. I got an interview and was immediately hired. I started shadowing him. The longer I apprenticed there, the more I enjoyed doing this kind of work.
Why did you decide to open a salon in Chinatown?
I originally was going to open up a salon with two other partners. Collectively we had about 10 years of experience, and each of us had a very strong client base. After a few months, however, the partners and I decided to part ways. I was the only one left at the storefront, and the space was now too large to run entirely as a salon on my own, and I had the business to run too. I decided to split the space in half - the front area would be a cafe, and the back would be the salon.
Mr. Guan competed nationally as a gymnast in his childhood.
I spent 7 years at the old salon as an apprentice. Now I’ve had 7 years at this current location. I chose this location because it is rooted in Chinatown, but close enough to East Village where my old client base is. Here, I can work with a wide variety of clients.
And of course, I love the food in the neighborhood!
How has COVID-19 affected your business?
We were closed from mid-March to around May to follow COVID guidelines. Some clients did come back, but a lot are scared to go out because of COVID, and scared to go into salons specifically because they recognize salons are places where people interact in close proximity, and lots of people come in and out on a normal day. About 50% haven’t come back.
My employees in the cafe didn’t want to come back to work due to COVID, so typically when I don’t have any clients in the salon, I run the cafe. When there is a salon client though, the cafe is closed as I’m often working with hairdressing chemicals.
When did the fire happen? How has it affected your business?
The fire happened on September 17, 2020. A lot of water damage came into my storefront, and the water warped all of my floors, to the point where it is a slip and fall hazard. The ice machine in the cafe short-circuited, but thankfully the salon chairs and other equipment are still okay.
Is your business insurance covering the damage?
I’m talking with a lawyer, as this situation has dragged on for so long. My insurance company is refusing to cover my claims.
For the time being, is there anything you want to share that our audience can do to help your business?
There’s the Send Chinatown Love fundraiser. I really just want to get the point where I can start re-booking my clients. Thank you very much, everyone!
Mr. Guan’s salon before the September 2020 fire.
Here are links to Color Matrix’s website and Instagram profile.
If you’d like to support Mr. Guan as he rebuilds, please consider donating to his fundraiser here, or make an appointment at Color Matrix at 297 Grand Street. Chinatown establishments like Color Matrix are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support now more than ever before to keep that spirit alive. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help say Chinatown will always be open for business.
