of small-town salons. She just wanted to be there for her kids.
Ten years later, Claudia’s Beauty Salon — tucked behind her home on East Aspen Avenue — celebrated a milestone anniversary on Saturday, April 19, surrounded by family, long-time clients and a growing community.
“I never thought it was gonna be this big,” she said. “But if you have a dream and you want to accomplish that, there’s nothing to stop you.”
From Oaxaca to La Center
A native of the Oaxaca region of southwest Mexico, Gordon immigrated to the U.S. in 2000 with her mother, settling in the Pacific Northwest and finding work at local casinos in La Center. She taught herself English over time, becoming fluent through conversation and day-to-day immersion. It was during that time she met her husband, Kenneth, a Navy veteran and La Center resident.
“I always see my family — I have a family member that she does hair — and I’m always learning from her,” she said.
Inspired by that early exposure, Gordon enrolled in beauty school in downtown Vancouver and graduated in 2011, just before the school shut down.
“I need to do something. I need to learn something, and that’s why I decide to do that,” she said. “Because I like it.”
Not long after, she and her husband began turning a storage unit attached to their home into a one-chair salon. The project culminated in the salon’s grand opening in mid-April 2015. It allowed Gordon to stay close to her young children while building her career from home.
“It’s really nice because when my kids go to school, if they need me I’m right here,” she said.
Shortly after starting the salon, Gordon also became a U.S. citizen. She completed her naturalization in March 2016.
“I had to learn about (U.S.) culture, memorizing all those questions,” she said. “My kids were tired of listening when they got in my car.”
A business built on trust
When she first opened, Gordon worried whether anyone would come.
“I started from two, three clients a day, and I thought I was not gonna make it,” she said.
Now, she estimates over 400 established clients, many of whom have been with her through personal milestones and setbacks. As Gordon recounted her journey, Lisa, a longtime patron, brought flowers to celebrate her 10-year milestone.
“Lisa, the one who brought me the flowers, she’s one of them,” Gordon said. “They’ve been with me, not just … the business. I’m a cancer survivor, and they’ve been with me, with my family, with my daughter being born ... I can call them family.”
Gordon said her approach to business is rooted in flexibility and care, often going the extra mile to help those in need.
“If my client gets off from work like 8 o’clock and they want a quick haircut, I do it because I’m here,” she said. “Sometimes, a mother has five kids, I charge 10 bucks less ... I just run it.”
Holding steady through hard times
Gordon never expected to reach the 10-year mark, especially not after the pandemic hit.
“I thought that’s it,” she said. “I have to go work in Vancouver, in a metal … manufacturing.”
She paused the salon’s operations during the early pandemic years, and when she reopened, many former clients had picked up do-it-yourself skills. To rebuild her customer base, she launched a renewed advertising effort and began reaching out to the community once again.
Still, her home-based setup helped her stay afloat.
“I don’t have to pay rent because other businesses, they have to make the money,” she said. “They’re more fancy. I try to make people more comfortable, more like feel home here.”
A place for family
From the beginning, Gordon said her main goal was to create a life that kept her close to her children. Being based at home allowed her to keep her business running without missing the important moments.
“I don’t make a lot of money,” she said, “but I’m not losing (time) with my kids. If I have to close and go to a game, I go. Or if they’re sick, I can close. It’s very convenient because I can manage my hours.”
Shortly after starting the salon, Gordon also became a U.S. citizen.
The process helped her feel more grounded in her new country.
“It was amazing because it now makes sense how we celebrate all the holidays and all that stuff,” she said. “Now, I understand better why the respect to the flag and all the stuff that we should know.”
Looking ahead, holding tight
When asked what she’s most proud of, Gordon didn’t hesitate.
“I’m proud that I can demonstrate to my kids,” she said. “They think, ‘My mom did it, I can do it.’”
Despite years of work and thoughts of retirement, Gordon has no plans to stop anytime soon.
“I see all my clients coming back and I can’t do that — I can’t leave them,” she said. “I’ll be continuing to do it and serve the community.”
La Center isn’t as small as it used to be, she noted, with more residents moving in from out of state.
“It’s not a small community for sure anymore,” she said. “But I won’t stop until I can’t handle it.”
Saturday’s celebration at Gordon’s home and salon drew several dozen guests — a reflection of the close ties she has formed through her work.
“It’s very rewarding that everybody knows you, everybody recognizes you,” she said. “The kids that I started cutting the hair when they were little, now they’re so tall … Sometimes, I’m doing gardening and they say hi or wave — and I remember who it is.”
After 10 years, the salon has become more than a business — it’s a community anchor. For Gordon, it’s been worth every day.
“If I can do it, everybody can do it,” she said. “There’s nothing to stop you.”
