Empire’s five Caribou students offered transfer options
CARIBOU, Maine — Last month the students and staff of Empire Beauty School in Caribou were given notice that the Skyway Plaza training facility would be closing down in early November.
There are currently over 100 Empire Beauty facilities in the United States, with the next closest studio being in Bangor.
Angela Watson, the firm’s director of public and media relations, said the Nov. 11 closing is due to declining student enrollment numbers.
“Right now we only have about five students at the Caribou school, and haven’t seen enrollments at the normal rate,” said Watson. “From a business standpoint, it’s not financially solvent enough to stay open.”
Watson added that staff and faculty have “been given sufficient amount of time to plan,” for the closing.
“Four students are transferring to the Bangor school once Caribou shuts down,” Watson said, “One is still undecided about a Bangor transfer.”
To help handle transportation costs, the Caribou students are being offered prorated reimbursement of tuition if they decide not to transfer. The spokesperson says the handful of students will be reimbursed for travel “beyond the expenses they would have normally had.”
As far as the staff members are concerned, Watson is unsure of their future.
“Normally when we decide to close a location, we try to reassign those educators to the nearest school,” Watson said, “but being that Caribou is so far away, the choice is up to them.”
Caribou resident and longtime Empire customer Bea Paquin learned of the closing just last week while she was making a routine visit.
“I think people working there are quite upset about the closing,” Paquin said, “and I think the town should be too.”
Paquin, who is now in her 80s, has been going to Empire Beauty School for the past two decades.
“They usually don’t have a lot of students there, but that makes for more individualized instruction,” Paquin said. “They’re all really well trained.”
According to Paquin, the staff have been instructed not to speak to the media about the closing, and are trying to let the community know via word of mouth.
“Everyone there was devastated when they heard about it getting shut down,” Paquin said, “and I am, too. It will be a big loss for The County. It was the only school up here. Students could afford to go there and live within driving distance.”
For the past five years, Paquin’s husband Joe has been going to the salon as well.
“Since we’re in our 80s, he can’t do his toenails, but he can get a pedicure there,” said Bea. “They do a lot more than hair, and actually have a long list on a board with everything they can do, and the prices are quite reasonable.”
Paquin is spreading the word about the school’s closure, since some customers only go on a bi-monthly basis and may be unaware.
Watson says the company is trying to take care of their students, despite the long drive to Bangor that four or five students may have to take.
“In this climate of schools closing all around us, we truly wanted to make sure this wasn’t a case of shutting the doors without taking care of the students,” Watson said. “We want to leave them with options to continue the path to becoming a licensed professional.”
Paquin, on the other hand, believes the trip to Bangor would be unrealistic unless the remaining students were to stay in a hotel for the remainder of their educational career.
“Everything is leaving The County lately,” Paquin said. “I think something ought to stay.”
