PASTILLE celebrates refurbishment

The Scratch Stars 2016 finalist, Pastille Beauty Bar toasted its recent refurbishment in style with an invite-only event – celebrating everything the salon has to offer!

“We essentially re-launched the whole business,” explains Erene Wynn Hadjiioannou, co-founder and manager. “This involved a HR overhaul, re-designing our website, being extra attentive to our social media, giving our team new uniforms and of course the most obvious change is how Pastille looks!”

“We wanted to solidify the reputation we’ve built from all our hard work since the original launch in August 2013, which is that we offer a small but perfectly executed treatment menu in a friendly, cosy salon,” explains Abra Wynn, co-founder and manager. “We also try to add to, and support, the community spirit of Leeds in everything we do. Having picked up a few awards along the way, and being recognised by The Telegraph and Vogue recently means that we are doing well – and need to ensure we continue to exceed expectations in Leeds and the beauty industry. Given the extra buzz around Pastille we wanted to be sure that new clients would choose to visit us over other comparative salons in the area, and want to keep our loyal clients happy.”

The sprues up sees a few changes to the salon. “We had a large reception desk that, over time, we realised was far too big for its purpose and closed off part of our open-plan space,” explains Erene. “This was taken out and replaced by an open bar area with a marble top and white tiling. This is complimented by accessories in Pastille’s signature mint green colour, and a tall perspex ghost chair.

“We also added a breakfast bar as a waiting area in the front of the salon, accented by mint green industrial chords ending in large light bulbs, meaning that clients benefit from our floor to ceiling windows that look out into Granary Wharf while they wait for their appointments.”

“Our pedi platform has also gotten some TLC,” adds Abra, “We’ve added pale grey tiles to support our Pedi armchairs. Overall this has opened up the salon, and enhanced the friendly, neighbourhood feel we put at the heart of what we do.

“We’re getting a whole lot of love and appreciation on our social media, as well as in the salon when they visit us. It has meant new clients spotting us as they walk past, and coming in to request treatments too.”

With the new look ready to be showcased, Pastille opened its doors for a party. “The event was strictly invite-only,” explains Erene. “Our most popular treatment is our gel polish mani, and each guest received this forty-minute treatment complimentary, including a select group of beauty bloggers. We had some guests who hadn’t had a Gel Mani before, and of course our huge choice of colours and specialist skills meant a few future bookings were made before the night was out. We also had our salon puppy, Winnie in her salon uniform too; she loved all the attention from guests!

With drinks from the only female-run distillery in the UK and food supplied by other local business, guest felt the spirit of collaboration the beauty bar promotes. Local TV station Made in Leeds attended the event. Pre-party, Erene and Abra were interviewed about the refurbishment and offered advice for budding business women in Leeds.

Also in attendance was a local women’s organisation called Women Shield and one of their ladies who offered hand-applied henna tattoos. This was to mark the start of a collaboration between Pastille and Women Shield to offer business skill workshops to support local refugee, asylum-seeking and BME women.

“We were really pleased at how much our guests loved our new look, and the fact that they felt so comfortable in the space we’d created meant we’d achieved what we set out to do with the refurbishment,” says Abra.

“At Pastille, we’re really proud to create a space where beauty therapists want to be, and our team had as much a good time as the guests!”

www.pastille.uk.com

^{Photo credits: Joanne Crawford}