TommyBrooks Salon Celebrates 25 Years of Style, Strength, and Small-Town Spirit

Downtown mainstay invites community to celebrate milestone anniversary

​A cornerstone of beauty, entrepreneurship, and community spirit in downtown Urbana is turning 25, and the public is invited to join the celebration. TommyBrooks Salon, a proudly woman-owned and woman-run business located at 123 N Main St, will host its 25th Anniversary Party on Saturday, June 14, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. Guests can expect giveaways, light refreshments, and warm company as the salon honors its legacy and the clients who have been part of its journey.

​Founded in 1999 by Andrea Russell and her husband, Andy Russell, TommyBrooks Salon was named after their two children, Thomas and Brookelynn. Andrea, a dedicated hairstylist with over 34 years of experience, opened the salon at the age of 28, with Andy at 30. The salon's space was thoughtfully remodeled by Andrea’s father, Gary Thomas, adding yet another generational touch to the foundation of the salon and making it a true family endeavor from the outset.

Since day one, Andrea has led the salon as a female entrepreneur, building a business that empowers others to thrive independently. Operating as a booth rental salon, each stylist at TommyBrooks runs their own independent business, creating a dynamic and supportive environment where others can uplift and inspire one another as professionals and small business owners.

Andrea graduated from The Ohio State School of Cosmetology in 1991 and continued to work in the Columbus area until 1993 when she moved back to the Urbana area for work. Shortly after moving back she started to booth rent from her high school hairdresser, Stephen LeMaster, and kicked off a long lasting business relationship at Stephen’s Hair on the Square - located at 21 Monument Square. Stephen and Andrea have worked together ever since as Stephen made the move with Andrea to TommyBrooks Salon, where they both continue to serve their own clients side by side.

Over the years, Andrea has collaborated with numerous talented professionals, including Stephen, Kathy, Cheryl, Mindy, Sandi, Sharon, Kelsey, Katie, Tara, Deana, Rachel, Sarah, Nathan, Hannah, Denise, and many others.

Beyond its commitment to beauty and entrepreneurship, TommyBrooks Salon has been deeply involved in supporting the Urbana community. The salon has sponsored Urbana High School DECA, prom, powderpuff games, and supported local sports teams, the Champaign County Fair, junior livestock sales, scholarships, and various benefit events. Andrea has been involved with improving the downtown business district by sitting on the Monument Square Distritc board in 2018-2019, was head of the Christmas Gala in 2019 that raised over $9,000 for the downtown area, and is a member of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.

“TommyBrooks has always been more than a business,” says Andrea. “It’s been a place to grow, give back, and build lifelong friendships.”

This anniversary not only honors the longevity of the salon but also the story of the historic building that houses it.

Long before TommyBrooks Salon welcomed its first client, 123 North Main Street was already a cornerstone of downtown Urbana’s commercial life. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Main Street served as the city’s primary business corridor, and this building—recognized for its decorative brickwork and elegant second-story arches—was a frequent subject in early Urbana photographs.

Here’s a timeline of the building’s rich history:

• 1882 – The address is first clearly documented as the location of M.M. Hance Dry Goods.
  
• 1886 – The building becomes home to the Champaign County Clothing Company, founded by William Harris and John Brennan. Known for bold advertising and a modern retail approach, the store was a standout in the local business scene.
  
• 1906 – The store transitions to new ownership and is renamed The Charles Scherer Store. Scherer continues to operate a prominent men’s clothing store at this location until its closure in 1949.
  
• 1950s–1990s – The building enters a new chapter as Crosby’s Pharmacy, fondly remembered for its catchy slogan, “Crosby, The Drug Man.” The pharmacy remained a reliable downtown fixture well into the 1990s.
  
• 1999 – TommyBrooks Salon opens under the ownership of Andrea and Andy Russell. Andrea embraces the historic character of the building, maintaining its iconic façade and working with local preservationists to enhance its charm, including securing a Commercial Façade Grant from the Champaign County Preservation Alliance.
  

The building’s second floor also holds stories of Urbana’s past:

• In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was home to the C.H. Chowning photographic studio, one of several professional studios serving the community at the time.
  
• By the 1920s, it housed the Philadelphia Dental Rooms Co., with a rotating roster of managing dentists.
  
• In the 1950s, Dr. Charles Bohl, a recent graduate of the OSU dental school, established his dental practice here before moving to the “New Medical Building” near the hospital in 1959, where he was later joined by his son Dr. Steven Bohl.

Today, remnants of that upstairs history remain—from markings where dental chairs once sat to structural shadows of past walls and rooms—adding even more character to this enduring building in the heart of Urbana - awaiting it’s next business venture to add to the historic downtown Urbana.

​Join Andrea and her team in celebrating 25 years of memories, milestones, and the many clients who made it all possible. Whether you’ve been a client for decades or are new to the chair, you’re welcome at the party on Saturday, June 14, from 12:00–3:00 p.m. at TommyBrooks Salon.