Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 6/2/2021
WILBRAHAM – Salon6 owner Rachel Newton is a Springfield resident who spent part of her childhood in Wilbraham. So, when she decided to open her own hair salon, she included the town in her search for the right space. She found it on Route 20.
“The location was really good,” she said of the storefront at 2797 Boston Rd., “Lots of traffic, it’s a cute little town.”
The salon is decorated in a modern, understated industrial style with walls painted gray and navy against white ceiling beams and walnut wood tones. On the back wall, behind the shampooing chairs, scalloped tiles evoke thoughts of the ocean.
A stylist since 2009, Newton has rented a station in five different salons in the area. With Salon6, the sixth time’s the charm.
“I’ve always wanted my own shop, to run things the way I want to run them,” she said.
Newton is looking for stylists to rent out three of the four stations in the salon. “The renter world is a little bit different. You’re not fighting for clientele,” she said. Clients tend to follow a stylist they like, she said. She has an existing clientele that includes customers from her time in East Longmeadow and Springfield.
“I think the [rental model] is becoming more common. From an owner standpoint, you’re not necessarily responsible for a whole team of girls that are up and coming,” Newton said. Usually, “stylist veterans” rent stations. It allows for flexibility and for people to make their own schedules.
For now, Newton said, she is operating on an appointment-only basis. Once there are more stylists available, she will open for walk-ins. She said she has already had people reach out to inquire about her services.
“I feel like our industry is always booming,” Newton said. “I’ve been non-stop since June of 2020,” she said about work in her previous salon.
Once Salon6 is up and running, Newton has ideas of how to incorporate her other business, Hair Comes the Bride, an on-location wedding hair service. “Down the road,” she said she may rent out the salon for wedding parties to get ready for their events.
Salon 6 is open for appointments Tuesday through Saturday. For more information about Salon6, visit https://www.instagram.com/salon6ma or https://www.facebook.com/Salon6MA.