Today we’d like to introduce you to Henry Jerome Mendoza.
Henry Jerome, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started working in salons as a struggling musician in Houston sometime around 2004. In ’06, I moved to Boston where I decided to pursue hairdressing as a career. After moving back home to West Texas briefly in ’08, I found myself in DFW. I spent the first eight years of my career managing salons while building a clientele, bartending and working various odd jobs. I began to hone my skills in barbering, specializing in men’s grooming services. I also became a father in 2013, which ultimately shaped and defined my goals and priorities.
In 2015, a good friend of mine opened a studio called Hair Revival in Highland Park and tapped me to manage. After the studio’s first year, I took over the upstairs of the building and opened my first concept under the name Dei Gratia & Co. After remodeling and building out the space over the first half of the year, I lost the space due to zoning issues and moved to Hair Revival’s second location in the design district. I spent the last three years expanding on my clientele and building the Saint Anita concept. In early 2018, I met Tim Khale from Communion Neighborhood Cooperative in Richardson and was given the opportunity to give Saint Anita its’ first location, which opened in late September of this year.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No road worth traveling is ever smooth, and mine has been no exception. I’ve struggled to pay the rent, keep the lights on, put food on the table, etc. The loss of my first space was also a difficult challenge. You definitely begin to question whether it’s worth the financial, mental and physical struggles to go through it all again. There were plenty of days where thoughts of doing something more stable or working for someone else began to seem like the best choice, but ultimately the end result of pursuing something you’re passionate about justifies the pain it takes to get there.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Saint Anita – what should we know?
Saint Anita specializes in short haircutting in a small studio that also includes craft cocktail and retail aspects. I also do pop-ups at various businesses around DFW. The concept was born of the desire for self-expression, both personally and professionally. Anita is my mothers’ name, and this project was inspired by her work ethic and care for others.
Personally, Saint Anita exists as a way to communicate ideas by any medium necessary. Whether it be through collaboration or individual projects, I want to be able to pursue any and every idea I might have. Professionally, I truly believe Saint Anita provides a unique experience. Every haircut I do is customized to the client as a result of collaboration. One of the biggest compliments I receive is the longevity that my clients get out of their haircut, and that they feel like they’re actually being heard when consulting on a service.
As a company and as a professional, I’m most proud of the clientele I’ve built over my time in Dallas. Our kids play together, we support each others’ endeavors and they get to know each other as well. My clients send me their co-workers, friends and family. That’s such a compliment to me, as I think it should be to anyone that provides a service to others. I keep copies of my favorite books in the studio for my clients to borrow and return at their leisure and a turntable so they can bring records to their appointment. I also keep a TV in the corner for games, which is of course necessary in the shop. Cultivating the right culture was important to me in establishing the company, and I think my clientele is a huge part of that.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My family first and foremost. My son is the reason I do anything at all. Every haircut, new idea, conversation… anything at all, begins and ends with his love. I have absolutely no idea where I would be without his love to drive me. My mother has always been a phone call away, and those phone calls aren’t always easy. It can be a two minute call of support, or a 20 minute call trying to convince her that I’m not insane for doing what I’m doing. My dad helped me physically build my first location, and continues to help me with various tasks in the new location. I wouldn’t be able to get anything done on a daily basis if it weren’t for his as well as my brothers’ support.
Kartik from The People’s Last Stand has been a mentor and friend to me from the first night I walked up to him and harassed him about our mutual love of hip hop the first week they opened eight years ago. He’s challenged every idea I’ve ever had and made sure I have an answer for any question that can be asked. I stepped out from bartending at People’s after over six years to pursue Saint Anita full time, but they’ll always be family and people’s will always be home.
Blake from Hair Revival and Tim from Communion are two business owners that are responsible for me being anywhere at all. They’ve both given me avenues to present my ideas and I’m forever in their debt for the opportunities.
Joshua and Yesi Fortuna from Fort Lion Studio deserve 99% of all creative credit. They’ve believed in my ideas since the first one I had about Dei Gratia 7 years ago, and have spent way too much of their own time helping me get them out. Their energy is infectious and I highly suggest anyone reading this check out their work. You will be inspired to create.
I am the sum of my influences, and the people I surrounded myself inspire and drive me daily. Investors that have believed in me, creatives that choose to work with me, friends that have listened to me rant at all hours of the night… any successes I have are ultimately due to their support. I couldn’t spend 15 hours working some days or stay up till 6am typing this were it not for them.
Pricing:
- Men’s Cut $40
- Women’s Cut $60 (By consultation)
- Kid’s Cut $25
Contact Info:
- Address: 514 Lockwood Dr, Ste B, Richardson TX 75080
- Website: www.saintanita.co
- Email: henryjerome@saintanita.co
- Instagram: @saintanitatx
- Facebook: facebook.com/saintanitatx
Image Credit:
B/W Photos: Joseph Morales, Studio Photos: Heather Brown, Editorial Photos: Fort Lion Studio
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