When Lynn Marie Cohen says she wants to give her customers the ultimate salon experience, she knows how to deliver.
When she was young, Cohen’s mother and aunt, who are twins, owned the Standish Beauty Shop. Lynn Marie would sweep the floors or do whatever odd job was available. When she wasn’t working, she was playing, but not with the usual toys.

“Most kids were playing with Legos; I was playing with perm rods,” she said.

Cohen grew up in the family hair salon and in the years since has followed in her mother’s and her aunt’s footsteps. When the opportunity to open up her own salon was presented to her, she just knew it was the right time to stop working for other people and go for it. She was well prepared, thanks to her former boss, Michael Serode, of Salon Serode in Pembroke.

“I learned from the best,” she said.

Cohen named Salon Alfred J after her two favorite men, her father, Alfred, and her husband, Jeff. Located at 15 South Park Ave., Salon Alfred J took the place of the Verona beauty salon, which had outgrown the space. Cohen knows the owner, who contacted her about the opening and offered her the space. The new salon opened Dec. 14.

“It’s just the right fit,” Cohen said.

Cohen hired staff with training and experience of their own to help her fulfill her vision. She studied to be a makeup artist at John Robert Powers in Boston before getting into hair care and attending Blaine in Hyannis. She also has the advantage of working with one of the best in the world of hair care.

Cohen has an exclusive agreement with Paul Mitchell to sell his products, for people as well as for pets. She said she has always wanted to open up her own salon and work with Paul Mitchell. Cohen said she would like to be an educator for Paul Mitchell some day, adding he has hair care products that are superior to the competition and teaches the latest techniques.

“They come here and teach us for free,” she said.

Salon Alfred J stylist Rachel Brewer said the people at Paul Mitchell are genuine and appreciative that Cohen chooses to sell only Paul Mitchell products. Brewer got her training at the Paul Mitchell Academy, graduating with honors three years ago.

Salon manager Kim Baker said people like the atmosphere and feel comfortable in the salon. Baker worked for Delta Airlines for 11 years before leaving her job as aircraft parts coordinator to manage the salon, so she knows how to make sure Salon Alfred J has the right products for its clients.

Aesthetician and makeup artist Cory Buckley just celebrated her fifth year since attending the Elizabeth Grady School of Anesthetics. Susan Pastore has been an aesthetician for 15 years; she attended Katherine Hynes. Buckley said she uses the Pevonia all-natural skin care line exclusively on her clients. She enjoys working with wedding parties to prepare for the bride’s big day. Cohen had nine weddings booked in her first two months in business.

Salon Alfred J has both female and male clients, with more and more men scheduling facials. Cohen said demand was so high she had to order skin care products for men, too. Cohen also sells Paul Mitchell’s line of pet products, from bleaching shampoo for white dogs to tea tree wipes for a pug’s wrinkles.

The Salon Alfred J Web site, salonalfredj.com, details all the services available. The salon hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.