Lokal Beauty Bar opens in Tremont, adding woman-owned business to neighborhood

Local business owner and skincare enthusiast Marina Grabowski has opened her second location of The Lokal Beauty Bar in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, where she continues to combine her skincare expertise with the relaxing experience of a spa. Grabowski, who grew up in Lake County and now lives in Painesville, opened the doors of her Tremont location in March at 2335 West 11th Street, #1.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the community, helping out with skin conditions, and just making people feel good,” said Grabowski, whose first location was in Chardon. “I want the community to know I am excited to be here, to build relationships, and help with their skincare journey.” 

“We’re delighted that The Lokal Beauty Bar chose Tremont as the location for its second establishment,” said Julie Dahlhausen, interim director at Tremont West Development Corporation. “Witnessing the growth of women-owned businesses in our community fills us with immense pride. We extend our heartfelt wishes for success to Marina and her dedicated team!”

For Grabowski, The Lokal Beauty Bar is rooted in community, relaxation and results. 

“I kind of play off the name ‘local,’ so that does circle me back to community,” she said. “In dermatology, it’s like, ‘Oh come in, I’m going to slap on a chemical peel and you’re going to walk out the door.’ Here, I can combine both worlds, where I’m giving people the results they want with treatments, but I can fluff it up a little. I can still give you some of that relaxation. So relaxation mixed with results, that’s kind of my thing.”   

Learning about different skin types

Grabowski originally became interested in skincare during her time as a freelance makeup artist.

“I did a lot of bridal work and during that time, I came across different skin types,” she said. “People would ask me questions about their skin and I’m like, ‘I don’t know, I’m just a makeup artist.’ So I decided to go to esthetician school, which was amazing.” 

After graduating from Brown Aveda in Mentor, Grabowski worked in spas and then in dermatology. During that time, Grabowski began thinking about going into business for herself.

“I was building up, doing facials and chemical peels,” she said. “I decided to take a leap of faith and just went for it.”

Starting a business did come with a set of unique challenges. 

“Finding a location, building connections with the community, networking to gather a clientele, and finding somewhere affordable,” Grabowski recalled, “It was a struggle for a while.”

The Lokal Beauty Bar’s first location opened in Chardon in 2021. What began in one room expanded to a full rented space on Main Street. As she began getting customers coming from further away, expanding to a second location became a possibility. 

“I did have some people coming from Lakewood and the (Cleveland’s) West side, so I’m like, maybe I should come out to them,” Grabowski said. 

When it was time to expand to a second location, Tremont was a natural choice for Grabowski, as it has a small town feel, similar to Chardon. 

“I love riding bikes, I love the walkability, the restaurants, [Tremont] just feels right,” explained Grabowski. “When I’m setting up in here and we’re getting this place ready, it’s so nice just watching everyone walk by with their little doggies … it’s just so fun. It’s a good time.”

Grabowski is most proud of following her dreams of starting her own business.

“My kids can see like ‘Oh, mom did this,’” she said.

When asked about the biggest misconception about her business, Grabowski explains that it is something that comes with being in the beauty world.

“Some people think of it as a luxury, but I don’t personally categorize it as a luxury,” she said. “Yes, you want to look good and feel good, but there are some skin treatments that we can do to really impact people’s lives, like acne, anti-aging, or rosacea.” 

Grabowski emphasizes that skincare is for everyone. 

“Everyone’s welcome here,” she said. “Skincare is a marathon, not a race, so sometimes it takes time. But even if it’s something small, like an eyebrow wax, it doesn’t have to be like an extravagant thing.”

When it comes to what products she uses at The Lokal Beauty Bar, Grabowski’s go-to is Epicutis. 

“I chose it because it’s anti-inflammatory, provides great hydration, and is really made for all skin types,” she said. 

Customers can experience many different treatments at the business, though Grabowski does have favorites. 

“I love Glo2 Facial. That’s a really unique treatment. It does oxfoliation, which is oxygenation of the skin. There’s a light ultrasound experience that kind of smoothes out the skin. It has a cooling sensation that turns warm, and then it has a detox massage,” she said. “I also love doing angel lashes, [which] are lash extensions. I like to call them mascara on steroids, so it’s natural and not too crazy.” 

For new customers or anyone interested in what The Lokal Beauty Bar offers, Grabowski recommends just walking in. Anyone can stop in for a consult. 

“Let’s talk skin, that’s kind of my slogan,” she said. “We’re going to assess your skin. We’re not going to do anything that your skin’s not ready for. We definitely take a deep dive, about your history and all that good stuff.”

The Lokal Beauty Bar’s Tremont location is now open Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Customers can walk in or make an appointment on the Lokal’s website: www.thelokalbeautybar.com. The Lokal Beauty Bar is on Instagram at @thelokalbeautybar and can be reached by phone at 440-413-6971.

This article is published in the loving memory of The Land community journalist Elan Eichler, who will be dearly missed by his colleagues, loved ones and community.