Meet Juvencio Jimenez-Valdez of Colorlab Tierra Sal in Downtown Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Juvencio Jimenez-Valdez.

Juvencio, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in a small town in Jalisco, Mexico, and came to the US when I was nine years old. As the third child out of nine children and one of seven boys, I spent most of the time taking care of my younger siblings, which gave me a sense of responsibility from an early age. I’m not going to say it was painless growing up due to all the bullying and everything that goes on just being a child of immigrants. Still, I was an inquisitive and open-minded type of kid, so I was able to adapt to my surroundings and learn quickly, which made me the person that I am today.

Being gifted with my hands and at picking up skills, I was a jack of all trades. After high school, I completed a program for diesel mechanics at the Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.

I was drawn to hair because I was very into fashion and music. Coming from a low-income family, buying anything new was not possible. My fashion style came from thrift stores and was influenced by the ska / new wave movement with these bands coming out of England sporting crew cuts and flat tops. I would spend Fridays at a barbershop when it was the busiest and watch the older gentleman who was already in his early eighties cutting hair for hours. He could give me a flat top despite my kinky hair.

One summer, I tried giving my two younger brothers flat tops with clippers, and I gouged holes all over their heads. That experience gave me so much appreciation for my mother, who would cut all her children’s hair. I took it upon myself to hone my skills with the clippers, so by the end of that summer, my brothers went back to school with proper flat tops.

In college, I was having a breakdown of sorts; I turned 21, all my friends were finishing college, and I was floundering. The young woman that I was dating at the time said, ‘look you’re already cutting my hair, why don’t you go into cosmetology?’ The light bulb lit up, and I enrolled.

My beauty school teacher was like a surrogate mother, always watching over me. She called me into her office and asked if I would be interested in becoming an assistant. The school schedule was grueling at eight hours a day, five days a week, and left little time for work, so I was grateful for the opportunity to make money. She said, ‘I’m sending you to Beverly Hills, and ‘Juvencio’ will be a complicated name to pronounce. You will have a hard time.’ Keep in mind, these were the Reagan years, a time of excessive spending where the image was everything. So I went with Michael from then on, and I started working for my mentor William Escalera at Ménage à Trois in Beverly Hills. Once I was promoted, I kicked off my career as Juvencio Jimenez-Valdez in 1988.

Gaining respect as a designer with technical expertise, I joined a team of hairstylists launching a new salon, Estilo and then joined Deluxe for a few years. As difficult as it was to leave my mentor, I moved on and gained experience building these businesses from the ground up.

By this time, I had built a loyal following, and word spread about my work. In 1996, I took over a salon in Beverly Hills as a partner to open Dionicia Essence Boutique. My vision was to create a hair studio with a multi-purpose space to support my creative friends and talents by offering a space, unlike any other gallery. We would feature art shows every month, followed by all-night receptions with DJs from all over the city playing. As my own venture, I was passionate to establish Dionicia Essence Boutique into a trendsetting & prolific salon with an incredible talent pool, many of whom launched their private, highly successful enterprises.

In 2004, I transitioned into a less stressful situation with just my tools in hand and my core loyalists (clients) in tow, closing the doors of Dionicia. Raising my son was my focus by then, so I had to reorganize and find balance with my time.

I am presently at colorlab tierrasal, my multi-functional hair studio, and gallery in the heart of Gallery Row at 6th & Spring in Downtown LA. Keeping with the spirit of Dionicia where I showcased works from such artists as Tasya van Ree, Donny Molls, and Jeff Ho, colorlab tierrasal has manifested over the past 11 years into a recognized contemporary gallery. We present original artwork and live music from up and coming artists in the avant-garde style that I have been associated with since opening my first space in 1996.

Has it been a smooth road?
As a Mexican immigrant in the United States, there are built-in challenges with learning the language and being able to acclimate. Having to endure a strict Roman Catholic upbringing and the old-fashioned mentality of my parents, I had to keep the fact that I was attending Beauty School from my parents. They would not have approved. Once I got the job in Beverly Hills, making decent money, I was brave enough to tell my parents.

With Dionicia in Beverly Hills, it was getting difficult to withstand the inevitable changes and rising costs as the business grew. I was considering building a franchise with locations in Calabasas, SilverLake, and Laguna alongside various investors, but I was unwilling to compromise myself and the brand. Instead, I focused on raising my son over being enslaved by a business. It was hard to let go, but I never regretted my choice.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Colorlab Tierra Sal – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I settled into my current location in Downtown Los Angeles to join the movement of the revitalization of DTLA. It’s been my home, my hair salon, my art gallery, and creative space.

I specialize in customized color profiles and haircutting for men, women, and all walks of life. After 30 years, I am a master at what I do, specializing in gray coverage and any color of the spectrum that you can imagine. I love my clients ranging from local artists and designers, celebrities and executives to community leaders, and entire families.

My gallery is for up and coming artists who have never shown, giving the opportunity to exhibit and be seen. As a multi-purpose space, the gallery can be used as a photography studio, performance stage, or event space.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
My favorite part of LA is the diversity. The options you have from every type of taste or influences from every part of the world surrounded by mountains, deserts, oceans, and ‘jungles’. Of course, being a Mexican immigrant, I love my Mexican food that is readily available everywhere. Everyone should try Paco’s tacos on Centinela on Washington Blvd. and Liliana’s tamales in Boyle Heights.

What I dislike most is the faulty system addressing the homeless population, especially in downtown LA. Since the Reagan years, many mental institutions have been dismantled, and there are need professional help. It’s tragic to see the number of people struggling on the streets.

Pricing:

• CUT $120-$700
• COLOR One-process or root touch-up $120-$240
• COLOR Colorshine or Toner $120
• COLOR Blonding $220-$800
• STYLE Blowout or Event styling $85 and up
• STYLE Deep Conditioning $85
• STYLE Makeup $125

Contact Info:

• Address: 548 South Spring St. #101
  Los Angeles, CA 90013
• Website: http://www.juvenciojimenez-valdez.com/
• Phone: (213) 787-3464
• Email: colorlabtierrasal@gmail.com

Image Credit:
Colorlab Tierrasal

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