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Ear Piercing Studio To Open First Alabama Location At Birmingham's The Summit

America's fastest-growing ear piercing company is opening its first Alabama studio at The Summit at Birmingham on Monday.

Rowan exclusively uses licensed nurses for all ear piercings, and the company may be eyeing other studios around the state, as well as Mississippi.

Rowan is in the midst of a nationwide expansion, and anticipates having more than 65 locations by year's end. That includes a third Chicago location, a third Texas studio in Austin, their first studio in Arizona, the first in Ohio, as well as studios in North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.

Ear-piercing franchise Rowan is opening its first location in Alabama at Birmingham's The Summit.Rowan

CEO Louisa Schneider said she was born in Atlanta and grew up in North Carolina, so an expansion into the South is something she's been eyeing for a while.

"We've found a really nice product-market fit in the South, so we're excited," Schneider said.

Schneider had originally thought about a career in medicine, and comes from a family with deep roots in the medical field. While working in finance, she said, the idea for the business was born when she wanted her daughter's ears pierced, but didn't want to go to a traditional mall setting.

"My pediatrician doesn't pierce ears, but my aunts and family said, 'We all do it, as nurses,'" she said. "I thought, that makes sense. I quickly realized there was an opportunity to create a brand around that, where nurses could work in a positive environment, and people could come in for a really positive, joyful experience."

Customers may choose whether they want to be pierced by a hand-pressurized instrument or a needle. The company's earrings have been tested to ensure there is little to no nickel or brass, as well as allergy-inducing alloys.

In addition to offering piercing services, Rowan also sells earrings, necklaces and piercing aftercare products.

The brand has an in-house jewelry designer, Schneider said, and rolls out about six new product offerings a year, with hypo-allergenic jewelry, as well as sterling silver, gold vermeil and 14 carat gold.

"We're the only company that has a licensed medical board, and so, anyone looking for a safe piercing will feel very comfortable coming to Rowan," she said.

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Harrison Ford Reveals He Got His Famous Ear Piercing After A Boozy Lunch With Jimmy Buffett

Harrison Ford has a message for the late Jimmy Buffett — ears to ya.

Ford, 81, revealed that he got his famous ear piercing years ago after a boozy lunch with the "Margaritaville" singer and late "60 Minutes" correspondent Ed Bradley.

Ford made the admission during the "Keep the Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett" concert, which was held April 12 at the Hollywood Bowl in LA, according to People.

Harrison Ford, here in 2013 at an event in LA, said Jimmy Buffett was "a cool guy" who influenced Ford to get his ear pierced. Getty Images

Buffett died last September at the age of 76.

Bradley died in November 2006 at the age of 65.

Ford appeared at the Buffett tribute to introduce a performance by Zac Brown Band and told the crowd that "Jimmy Buffett was a cool guy," according to the report.

Jimmy Buffett, performing in Tennessee in 2009, was friends with Harrison Ford, who paid tribute to him at an event held April 12 at the Hollywood Bowl. Getty Images

"I remember one day that a long — some might say boozy — lunch with Jimmy and Ed Bradley, and it was Bradley's birthday," Ford said. "I saw both of them had earrings. So right after lunch, I got my ear pierced.

"That's just how infectious Jimmy's coolness is," Ford continued. "Infectious enough for a 40-year-old man to spontaneously get his f – – king ear pierced. 

"And infectious enough to create an entire culture around his music.

"There is no other way to say it: There will never be another like Jimmy."

Ford added that "usually cool guys are not that nice," but that that didn't apply to Buffet — who, he said, "was more than nice.

Jimmy Buffett attending the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March 2023. Getty Images

"He was kind. He was beloved by his family, by his friends, by his band, his crew and his collaborators, and he loved them all back," Ford said.

The "Keep the Party Going" event featured performances from Paul McCartney, the Eagles, Sheryl Crow, Jon Bon Jovi and others — plus speakers including Jane Fonda and Woody Harrelson, according to People.

This is not the first time that Ford has spoken about the influence that Buffett had on his life. In February, Ford gave an interview to the Hollywood Reporter in which he mentioned him in relation to Ford's near-fatal 2015 plane crash.

Ford, a licensed pilot, sustained serious injuries after crash-landing his vintage World War II plane on a California golf course. He suffered a broken ankle and pelvis and lots of bruises and gashes. He eventually recovered from his injuries.

The "Indiana Jones" star also headlines the Paramount Network series and "Yellowstone" prequel "1923" with Helen Mirren and co-stars in the Apple TV+ series "Shrinking" opposite Jason Segel.

Jimmy Buffett, performing here in 2009 in Calfornia, passed away in September 2023 at the age of 76 after battling skin cancer. Getty Images

"I changed a lot of things in my life [after the crash]. My wife [Calista Flockhart] does not fly with me in vintage airplanes anymore — she will in others," he told THR.

"I certainly don't want to have to recover from that kind of accident again," Ford said. "It was really hard on my family and it was hard on me.

"I went back to flying. I know what happened. So that's part of the reason [I went back]," he added. "There was a mechanical issue with the airplane I could not have known about or attended to in any way.

"So in the words of the great philosopher Jimmy Buffett: S – – t happens."

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