What started with a pair of old scissors and used clippers in the kitchen of her home in Dryden, Michigan, family matriarch Elizabeth “Liz” Grondin sparked her family’s interest in the hair industry which led to a couple of Dryden boys hanging out in Harry Hudson’s barbershop talking about haircuts and baseball.
From her kitchen and that barbershop in downtown Dryden, Michigan, the passion for haircutting started with Liz’s two oldest sons, Carl and Paul. In 1969, the two young men opened a barbershop in their hometown, Dryden, Michigan. Then eventually, six of her ten children and ten of the grandchildren have become licensed hairdressers. Nine of the ten children have worked at one time or another for Grondin’s Hair Center. Flash forward to 2022, and the Grondin legacy continues with over 38 salons across Lower Michigan and Grondin’s College of Cosmetology. Many students, including third-generation family members, have graced its doors learning the trade and helping to keep Grondin’s legacy alive for generations to come.