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The path to Greenline Salon hasn’t been a straightforward one – or an expected one– for either of its owners, Ashley Bierschbach and Caitie Mix.
“ I was raised by a single dad, so we never knew what to do with our hair, and I always wanted to go to hair school,” Bierschbach explained
But when a full ride scholarship via the University of Cincinnati rowing team appeared, her father encouraged her to take advantage of the opportunity.
“He was like, ‘You could own your own salon someday,’” Bierschbach said.
After graduation, Bierschbach attended hair school and worked a few stints before ending up at Tanya’s in Crestview Hills (now closed), where she met Mix. Realizing that college wasn’t for her after some time at technical college, Mix found herself drawn to the flexibility of a stylist skillset.
“Hair just popped up as, I knew I could travel and live anywhere, and have a skill that I could go anywhere,” Mix explained.
Mix never anticipated eventually owning her own salon, enjoying the liberation of a job where she never had to “be tied to something.” But she and Bierschbach were soon in kahoots – even if Mix didn’t know it. Bierschbach saw a similar work ethic in Mix, and decided she was the right candidate for a business partner.
“After a staff meeting one day, I was like, ‘I’m ready to open my own salon. You’re gonna do it with me. I’m starting to save money. Let me know when you’re ready,’” Bierschbach recalled.
Despite some initial hesitation, a third ask was the charm. Now the duo have 13 years under their styling chairs, a team of 22, and a cemented spot in the Covington business scene.
It may come as a surprise that the “green” in the salon’s name doesn’t just have to do with its eco-leaning nature (more on that later). Instead, it gets its namesake from a mix of Chicago and Covington elements – namely Goose Island’s Green Line Pale Ale, the Chicago Transit Authority Green Line, and a green Northern Kentucky building that just so happened to be on another historic “Green Line” transit route. And the distinct Mother of God Roman Catholic Church next door to the salon? It just so happened to have steeples the color of key lime pie.
The duo found their space when Covington was still up-and-coming, and the decision elicited a lot of questioning about their location.
“We knew that we wanted to open up a place somewhere, like, river-ish,” Mix said. “We started off looking in Ludlow, in Covington, and Newport, and we just felt like this was the heart of where we wanted to be.”
“ I feel like we hit the lottery of communities,” Bierschbach said.
The salon offers a variety of services, from haircuts to lash extensions. As an Aveda salon, they specifically use the brand’s cruelty-free, entirely vegan line of products. Every shampoo comes with a mini facial or a hand and arm massage.
“It’s caring for the guest as a whole person,” Bierschbach said. “Not just knocking out a service and a haircut – creating that experience for each guest.”
Bierschbach also points out that the salon has a tendency to service entire families, as opposed to single customers.
“We, definitely being in business 13 years, have seen babies grow to teenagers,” she shared.
But to the duo, it’s ultimately their team that truly makes Greenline Salon stand apart. They explained that oftentimes, young stylists are looped into potentially unsustainable booth rental business models. As such, they make it a point to coach young stylists out of school to help create viable, long-term careers; new hires are mentored for 6 months to a year before taking on clients. And that strategy is apparently working – 5 of their stylists have been with the salon for over a decade.
As the pair considers the future of the salon, this mindset of guidance remains a priority.
“The goal is to keep growing and to keep everybody in a career path where they’re happy and healthy, and they’ve got a great balance of family life, and having a baby, and being able to be behind the chair,” Mix explained.
“We love empowering our team and empowering women,” Bierschbach added.
They also practice philanthropy through their annual Save Water, Drink Beer event every April.
“That just started off as asking all of our clients who own businesses in Covington, ‘Hey, what can you donate?’ Mix said.
Funds raised through the event’s drink sales, raffle, and silent auction go to environment-focused organizations, including the Kentucky Waterway Alliance, the Sierra Club, and Charity Water.
The first year, Mix approximates they raised around $1500. In 2025, they placed in the top 5 Aveda salons internationally for fundraising at about $8,000. Results still pending, they’re hoping to snag first place this year at over $11,000, with proceeds from the 2026 event going towards the Ohio River Foundation.
After 13 years of successes and hardships, from being able to expand their brick-and-mortar space, to the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bierschbach and Mix remain open to what the next chapter for Greenline holds. Bierschbach can’t rule out the possibility of a second location down the line, but, for now, the duo are just grateful for the joys they have in the present.
“ I think we’re just so shocked where we are,” Bierschbach said as they both laughed.
