Teddie Kossof calling it a career after a half-century in Northfield

After 50 years of providing beauty care in Northfield, Teddie Kossof is retiring.

Kossof, the owner of Teddie Kossof Salon Spa, 281 N. Waukegan Road, announced his retirement, and the closure of the salon, in a Facebook post on Jan. 9, which was also shared by the Village of Northfield.

The post, as of Wednesday, Feb. 4, had 296 reactions and more than 100 comments and shares of congratulations and positive memories.

Kossof’s last day will be Feb. 15.

“When I opened the salon in 1975, I never imagined how profoundly this journey would shape my life,” Kossof said in the post. “What began as a dream grew into a place filled with laughter, creativity, trust, and lasting relationships.”

He went on to call the salon “a second home, a gathering place, and a constant source of purpose and pride.”

According to the salon’s website, Kossof employs 22 stylists, five nail technicians, seven colorists, five estheticians, two masseuses and two makeup artists in the salon spa alone.

The salon is located in a 17,000-square-foot, three-story complex, and “the atmosphere is vibrant and inviting,” according to the website. “The helpful staff usher clients from the front desk to their various destinations with ease and professionalism.”

It also says that Kossof, the salon and his team have received “countless awards and recognitions.”

In his retirement announcement, Kossof said his greatest legacy is his family, including four children and five grandchildren.

“My son Alan and my daughter Keeley continue their work in the beauty industry, and it brings me great pride to see them carry forward the values of hard work, integrity, and care for others,” Kossof wrote. “I wish them nothing but the greatest success as they continue their own journeys.”

Kossof added that his daughter Keeley will open Kossof Salon Spa in Lincolnshire in February. Reportedly, many of the staff will be current Teddie Kossof Salon employees.

Additionally, Kossof’s son Alan operates Solano, a company that manufactures “high-performance professional hairdryers” that are made in Italy, and Senior Beauty Lifestyle, a management company that manages beauty salons in partnership with senior living communities in Chicago’s North Shore and nearby suburbs.

At the Northfield Village Board’s regular Committee of the Whole meeting on Jan. 27, Village President Tracey Mendrek paid tribute to Kossof and his longtime business.

“Teddie has been a long, long supporter of Northfield, and we thank him for being here as long as he has,” she said.

At the end of his announcement, Kossof thanked the salon’s clients, staff, and his family.

“Giving back has always been close to my heart,” Kossof wrote. “I am incredibly proud of the philanthropic and charitable organizations we have supported over the years, and of the role the salon has played in strengthening the community that has given us so much.”

Future of property

During the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 27, Village Manager Patrick Brennan said that a developer is interested in the Teddie Kossof property.

Brennan said the project is in the early, conceptual phase, but he gauged trustees’ thoughts on a drive-through business, which would need a special-use permit in Northfield.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.