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Date: 7/10/2015
WESTFIELD – A familiar Westfield business is getting a new look.
What was formerly Claire’s Hair, Etc., has turned into Salon Thairapy. Trish Carpenter, a longtime Westfield hairdresser, has taken over the show at the Springdale Road salon.
While she previously worked at Claire’s Hair, Etc., about 10 years ago, Carpenter has been all over Westfield. She turned back to Claire Cooper, unsure what she wanted her next step to be, when an opportunity presented itself.
“I called Claire because I knew she was renting booths and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I was looking at spots to maybe open. She called me back, and she said ‘It’s a little complicated. Let me call you back,’” Carpenter said. “She said ‘Honestly, I’m ready to just rent the whole salon out.’ I said, ‘OK, let’s talk.’”
Salon Thairapy opened on May 1, with Carpenter and Cooper’s loyal clients returning.
Though Carpenter said some changes have been made to the interior of the salon, her clients have responded well to the new atmosphere and so has Cooper.
“I was worried at first about how Claire would handle the changes, but she’s been awesome,” Carpenter said. “Her clients have been so excited to see all of what’s going on in here. It was fun to just kind of make it my own because I’ve always worked with other people. It’s never been mine.”
Carpenter said it has been a lot of work to get Salon Thairapy ready but that it was “liberating” to finally have her own place, something her clients have been waiting for her to do.
The atmosphere of Salon Thairapy is one of relaxation, Carpenter said.
“We are we’re like therapists. Our clients come in and they just spew it all out while they’re relaxing and then they feel better,” Carpenter said.
This hope does not end extend only to her clients. Carpenter wants her co-workers to feel at home when they walk through the doors.
“I just wanted a happy place to work. We don’t do drama at all. We want to have fun at work. We spend so much time here. It’s our second home. We’re a family,” she said. “We’re family orientated. We have pictures of our kids everywhere. It’s relaxing. Everyone helps each other out when we need it. It is our home away from home. Our clients are our family. They’ve been coming in 20 years and we’ve been watching their kids grow and graduate. It’s crazy.”
For more information about Salon Thairapy or to make an appointment, call 537-6555.