February is Black History Month. It is a time of heightened recognition and celebration of all that the African-American community continues to do and has done for this country.

Salon MeAmoure owner Ebony Lewis came to Hawaii to pursue the many dreams she had regardless of the situation she was faced with in her own home.

“This was the first big thing I’ve had to do with nothing underneath me,” said Lewis, 35. “It was like you have wings … use them but just know there is only wind underneath there. There was no foundation. Coming here, there was nothing. I left everything.”

Originally from West Philadelphia, Pa., where she attended and graduated from Jean Madeline Aveda Institute, a cosmetology school, Lewis packed two suitcases and moved herself 4,900 miles away to Honolulu to start anew in 2012.

“I was in a dark space. I was in an abusive relationship and I was just tired of the mundane, doing the same thing, the same way, all the time, over and over again,” Lewis said. “… I had so many dreams, and I realized there has to be something else to life.”

Touching down in Oahu, Lewis hit the ground running. After handing her business card to a beauty supply store owner, word began to spread like wildfire.

“… [W]hen I started doing hair [on Oahu] I never thought I would get business because I didn’t know there was a lot of people here, I didn’t know anything about Hawaii,” Lewis said. “I didn’t think I was going to have clients but come to find out there is people here. Lots of them.”

Beginning in a small apartment in Waipahu, Lewis’ clientele only grew. 

While her clientele grew, healing and love took place too. In 2013, Lewis married Jeremy Lewis who is not only her husband but business partner and co-owner of Salon MeAmoure.

“He is the brains behind the operation, he hates when I say that but he truly is. There would be no Salon MeAmoure without him,” Lewis said. “It’s a super unique situation but I love it.”

Love wasn’t the only thing to grow. As the business continued to expand so did the need for a bigger space. After moving the business to Kapolei out of their in-home shop, Salon MeAmoure graduated to a 1,000-square-foot salon in Aiea in October 2017.

“Well, Amoure is my middle name,” Lewis said when asked about the meaning of Salon MeAmoure. “It means ‘love.'”

Opening officially in October 2017 Salon MeAmoure moved to Aiea and is a full-service salon serving over 100 clients. From color to extensions, haircuts or re-style and consultations, Salon MeAmoure has something for everyone. With over 20,000 plus followers on their luxury hair extension @meamourecollection Instagram page.

“To be honest I never had a vision for a salon, I had a vision for a hair store,” Lewis said. “I guess I got the vision for the salon once we had the building. I never thought this would happen.”