True to its name, Salon ECO has built its business during its first year in Mineola on ecology-friendly products and economic prices, according to its co-owners.
“We have the eco-friendliest products that work,” said Salon ECO co-owner Pat Shan. “In this industry, the fumes in the salon got very bad.”
Shan said most of her customers are drawn to the salon because it uses a range of ecologically safe shampoos, sprays and hair treatment products – biodegradeable products with minimum chemical content – from companies such as Joico, Chi, Rejuvenaol and Onesta.
For budget-conscious Mineola residents, Shan said the salon at 250A Jericho Turnpike also kept prices low to compete with the many established salons in the area.
The price for women’s haircuts start at $35. Prices for men’s haircuts start at $22.
“When we opened a year ago, the economy wasn’t booming,” Shan said.
She said she and co-owner Cathy Kotowski looked at several different locations, but settled on the Jericho Turnpike site because the size of the space and a parking lot.
After one year in business, Salon ECO has surpassed the success its owners hoped to have in drawing customers, Shan said.
“It’s been over and above my expectations of what it could have been,” Shan said.
Shan and Kotowski brought five employees with them into the business last August from the nearby Expressions, where they had all worked together.
Shan said Expressions’ business was slowing considerably and subsequently closed four months later. She said in addition to the clients the former Expressions’ brought Salon Eco has also attracted 120 new customers through a combination of word of mouth and advertising.
Aside from basic hair-care services, she said Salon ECO has a makeup artist on the premises daily. The salon also offers waxing, manicures and pedicures – with the pedicures done in chairs that give customers a massage. Most of the clients are women, but Shan said the salon also counts men and children among its regular client base.
The shop also offers discounts for services extended to bridal parties, Shan said.
The salon pipes in music, features several TV screens and offers coffee and homemade cake to create a comfortable atmosphere, Shan said.
Shan said she has been in the business for the past 25 years and ran her own salon in Williston Park, called Classic Cutters, 20 years ago. After working for several salons in the area, she decided she wanted to run her own business again. She said she enjoys the business because she enjoys the work and the people.
“You have to enjoy people. You can’t do this work if you don’t enjoy people,” she said.
The salon is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. They also serve clients by appointment only on Sundays.
