Opening a Merle Norman studio has been a childhood dream come true for Tammie Polston.

"It's something I wanted to do forever," said Polston. "I started wearing Merle Norman in the eighth grade. My best friend's mother had a Merle Norman...When we were in high school, we were going to California, going to get certified and run the Norman."

But life intervened and the Baxley native ended up having her daughters, raising a family, and becoming a hair stylist and business owner.

The opportunity came up 28 years later for Polston and her husband Ben, who also own the Hair Motif salon and another business in south Georgia. Then-owners Darlene Evans and Sara Whitmire, who also operate the Serendipity store on Ga. Highway 138, were looking to sell. The Polstons bought the studio in September.

"We've been very blessed," she said of her business's prosperity. She had asked friends and church family at Rockdale Baptist to pray about the purchase. "It's a God thing... I'm just very humbled by it."

Located next to the Hair Motif salon in the Kroger shopping center on Ga. Highway 138, the new studio had a soft opening Friday after Thanksgiving and recently celebrated with an Open House.

"I thought Hair Motif and Merle would be a great marriage together," said Polston. Customers can have their hair done at the salon and then walk next door to access the services of an aesthetician and manicurist and enjoy a makeover or facial in the same visit, she said.

Polston recently flew out to California for training in all things Merle.

"It was intense. It was fun, though," she said. "You have to learn all their products and what they do and how they do it." She added, "It's American made."

The company's namesake, Merle Norman, began the company 83 years ago in her kitchen. She had been a nurse and used zinc in the formula for some of her foundations and skin products. "The same formulas are used today," said Polston.
"Their skin care line is where the technology is," she said.

"My vision is to make people more beautiful than they already are... I also want them to feel worthy," she said. "You never know what's behind someone when they sit in this chair."

The store, located at 1745 Ga. Highway 138 SE, Suite C-10, is open Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. For more information, call (770) 483-4900.