Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Donna’s Salon changes hands, location



When Kathy Johnson earned her cosmetology certificate in
1987, and took her first job at Donna’s Salon, she had no idea that she
would eventually own the business some day.

Nevertheless, this is exactly what happened last month
when Johnson ended up where she started by purchasing Donna’s Salon from
longtime owner Donna Munson.

“Along with basic styling, we offer skin care, nail
care, and specialize in corrective hair color,” Johnson said. The
staff is also experienced with wedding parties as well.

Johnson has been a stylist for the past three years at
Donna’s, and plans to keep the same staff.

The location will change, since the city plans to develop
the land where Donna’s is located. The new location will be one block west,
next to Bergie’s Pizza. The name will change to Salon Amie, she said.

Munson ended a 37-year stretch of ownership with the sale.

Johnson started her career at the prestigious Scot Lewis
School of Cosmetology in Minnetonka.

Since then, she has owned her own salon in Delano for three
years, called The Hair Shoppe. Her partner at the time was Dawn Shanahan,
she said.

Johnson has also worked for Personal Touch in Buffalo.

While Johnson was working, she bumped into Munson again,
who extended the offer to start working at Donna’s again in 1999.

During the past three years, Johnson has picked up as much
knowledge as she can from Munson about operating a salon.

“I learned more in the past three years than the last
15 years,” Johnson said of Munson.

Munson taught her a wealth of information, everything from
how to deal with vendors, operating the salon, to working with people, she
said.

For her, Howard Lake is a natural choice because of the
people.

“We love this area,” Johnson said. “We
love the community.”

Johnson is married to Jerod Johnson, who works at Munson
Lakes Nutrition.

Their family consists of children Amy Johnson, 23, and
Adam Johnson, 21, and Cody Barth, 13, Patrick Barth, 11, and Taylor Barth,
9. The Barth children attend St. James Lutheran School. Amy is a hair stylist
at the salon.

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