AT SALON ALEXANDRIA, GREAT HAIR IS NEVER ACCIDENTAL—IT’S INTENTIONAL, elevated and rooted in connection. Since 2006, founder Alex Watson has cultivated warm, welcoming salons in Mount Pleasant, and soon to come in Downtown Charleston, where artistry and authenticity go hand in hand. All three locations are designed to help you love your hair, guided by a philosophy that began long before the first salon opened its doors.
“My mom is British, and she told me, ‘Alex, if you want to do hair, go somewhere great and learn,’” says Watson. “So, we landed in London, and that’s what I did. I was 19, and I trained at Vidal Sassoon, then worked as a stylist there for a few years before moving back to the U.S.”
When Watson returned to the Lowcountry in 2006, North Mount Pleasant was still taking shape. She and her mother believed the community was ready for something different—a salon rooted in education, elevated service and authentic relationships. Watson worked behind the chair while her mother handled the books, building the business with intention from the very beginning.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I was the stylist who didn’t take no for an answer; I pushed boundaries,” she says. “I’ve been this way since I was a kid. I come from a large family. I have seven siblings, and I was the one who wanted to do things my way. I’ve always been drawn to creativity and beauty, styling friends’ hair, painting, and noticing color and detail everywhere. For me, beauty has never been about vanity—it’s about inspiration and transformation.”
Watson admits the early years were humbling; the salon was built slowly, one relationship and one haircut at a time. “During the beginning, there were a couple of recessions, no social media, but I was determined. I reinvested everything back into education and team development. My team is leaders, not just stylists, and that’s the philosophy that drives us,” she says.
As demand increased and the team expanded, the original Mount Pleasant salon reached capacity. After years of careful planning and leadership development, a second Mount Pleasant location opened in November 2025.
“Opening the second location was about creating opportunity, not just for our clientele to experience Salon Alexandria in a different area but also for the stylists,” Watson explains. “My staff is phenomenal, and I want them to grow their careers. Now, we’re opening a third location downtown on Spring Street in April 2026!”
Watson offers her staff ongoing, free-of-charge education to hone their craft, retirement benefits and leadership development opportunities. From apprentices to master stylists, some of whom have been with Salon Alexandria since the beginning, everyone is a part of the collaborative environment.
“We are very intentional about who joins our team—talent can be trained, but mindset is something you bring to the table,” Watson says. “There is no team like my team, and they have my heart. We cultivate a high-standard and high-kindness environment, and you feel that the moment you walk in.”
Energy isn’t the only thing that’s top-tier at Salon Alexandria. With so many stylists and locations, clients have a diverse range of options in terms of services, price points, membership options and products. Organic & Mineral, Goldwell, Areté and more are the luxury haircare products the salon carries, with each location offering something unique.
Watson specializes in lived-in color and transformational services—hair that grows out beautifully and feels effortless. “I love work that enhances someone’s natural beauty,” she explains. Extensions are also a favorite service among staff and clients because of the confidence shift they create.
As spring approaches, the locations are primed to bring their clients services that reflect the lighter side of hair design. “Lived in blonding, balayage, face-framing highlights, extensions, and fresh cuts with movement and texture—spring is about brightness—we help clients reflect that change,” Watson says.
Looking ahead to wedding season in the Lowcountry, Watson highlights Salon Alexandria’s “The White Room,” the bridal side of the business. The team caters to on-site and in-salon bridal hair and makeup. The new downtown location, near Charleston’s historic district and premier event venues, offers clients even more elegant options for their bridal celebrations.
“Growth requires courage,” Watson says, a principle she applies both personally and professionally. From winning athletic scholarships for soccer to taking a leap of faith to London to follow her dream, she’s embraced each opportunity with boldness. Settling in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village, she continues to say “yes” to challenges that foster growth for herself and her team.
Outside the salons, Watson finds balance in the simplicity of home life. “I love the balance of running high-energy businesses and then coming home to something simple,” she says. “My boys wanted chickens, so we got them a couple of years ago on a whim. I thought, ‘well, we like eggs, let’s do it.’ I don’t think about the things I can’t do; I just do what I want to do, so we’ve got this little homestead in the village.”
As Watson embarks on a new salon adventure, she’s adamant about how success works and how she’s always managed to do what she set out to do. “You have to surround yourself with people who make you laugh and who support you. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built and even more excited about where we’re going,” she says. *
Brigitte Surette is a freelance writer, editor and copywriter. Visit brigittesurette.com to learn more.
