BUSINESS
LaQuinta Fisher
SERVICES AT A GLANCE
• Anti-aging facial • Balayage • Blow out • Body wax • Brow lamination and tining • Cluster lashes • Creative freestyle braids • Facial wax • Gel manicures • Haircuts • Highlights • Hot oil treatments • Luxury wigs • Nail art • Roller set • Senegal twist • Silk press • Traditional locs • Xpress facial • More
get ready. You have to be prepared for anything, especially as a salon in a rural area,” she said. Despite the fear she felt walking into Suite 130 two years ago, Fisher is confident she made the right decision. Plans are underway for a two- year celebration, an empowering networking event to honor her clients and aspiring cosmetologists. For now, her focus remains on cultivating talent and serving the community. “It still feels surreal, but I do try to be a good role model for my employees and the kids who come here,” she said. “We talk to them because we know that as little girls, you just dream these dreams. They can see those come true.”
What started as a one-woman operation now includes a team of stylists, estheticians and nail technicians. The salon has also added educational opportunities for future cosmetologists. Recognizing Maricopa’s lack of beauty schools, Silk Press Xpress established a state board certified apprenticeship program. Instead of taking on debt or commuting along State Route 347, participants complete an 18-month program that allows them to earn while they learn. “It’s on-the-job training, so they get paid for the work and once they get their license, they already have all the skills they need,” Fisher said. The salon recently launched a lash boot camp for those seeking state certification as lash technicians. The 30-hour course includes 10 hours of classroom education followed by 20 hours of hands-on training. “Students learn everything they need to know,” Fisher said. “They learn about eye shapes, different lashes, patterns, sanitation and removal. Afterwards, they can take their certificate to the state board and register themselves.” Recognition and what comes next As Silk Press Xpress has grown its team and training programs, it has also earned community recognition. The salon has been featured in InMaricopa and Voyage Phoenix, named a 2025 Neighborhood Favorite by Nextdoor and recognized as Business of the Year by the Black Maricopa Chamber of Commerce last year. For Fisher, the awards are about affirmation more than applause. “One thing I’ve learned over the last couple of years is if you stay ready, you don’t have to
From home salon to full-service beauty haven Silk Press Xpress celebrates 2 years, expanded services at Edison Pointe
CONTACT SILK PRESS XPRESS 44360 W. Edison Road, Suite 130 520-217-1617 SPXHair.style Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
BY MONICA D. SPENCER
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styling, braiding, silk presses, manicures, facials, waxing, lash extensions and makeup under one roof. A dream years in the making The vision for Silk Press Xpress was years in the making. “It’s been a dream since at least 2012,” Fisher recalled. That was the year she graduated from Empire Beauty School in suburban Atlanta and started working as a shampoo girl in a local salon. While that may have been the first time she saw herself owning a shop, the seed was planted much earlier. As a little girl, she spent time in salons with the women in her life, watching them work and connect. “Just seeing other women around the community working in salons and being in salons, it seemed very achievable, very
obtainable. I thought, ‘Oh, I can do that,’” she said. There is still a sense of nostalgia when she unlocks the door each morning. The hum of conversation at the chairs. Clients smiling when their hair turns out just right. The scent of shampoo and manicures. R&B playing in the background. “It’s an amazing feeling but when you have a dream and it comes true and you’re in it? That’s Fisher always envisioned Silk Press Xpress as a one-stop shop for Maricopa’s beauty needs. Just as important, she wanted to build a strong, welcoming team. “We have a lot of rockstars in here and I’m just excited,” she said. “Our salon has blossomed so much, and we have so much talent.” the surreal part about it,” she said. Building a one-stop shop
WO YEARS AGO, STEPPING INTO the empty suite at 44360 W. Edison Road felt like a leap in the dark for LaQuinta Fisher.
“When I first opened in April 2024, honestly, I was scared. It was a huge gamble,” Fisher admitted. And it was. She spent two years cultivating her client base from her Tortosa home before signing a lease for a storefront at Edison Pointe. “I think about it now, and it’s still scary coming out of the house and taking that leap of faith,” she said. “But I’ve learned a lot over the years, and I’ve met a lot of good people along the way.” Now, just a month shy of celebrating two years since Silk Press Xpress’s ribbon cutting, Fisher is watching that gamble pay off. What began as a single-chair operation has grown into a full-service beauty haven offering hair
The Silk Press Xpress staff smiles for a group photo inside their salon in February.
InMaricopa.com | March 2026
March 2026 | InMaricopa.com
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