Le Roy salon owner expanded her one-woman hair salon into a full-service salon to meet the demands of her growing business.
Nanette Chiulli, owner of Nanette's Hair & Now, had always dreamed of owning a hair salon and made her dream a reality when she opened her small salon on Mill Street in Le Roy in March 2013. In less than two years, Chiulli's business became a success and she was looking to move into a larger location so she could offer her clients more services.
Chiulli didn't think she would find a location for her hair salon in Le Roy until Amy Whitmore-McClellan, former owner of Hot Heads Salon, asked if she would be interested in taking over the salon six months ago. After some thought, she decided to take Whitmore-McClellan on her offer and started the process.
With the help of family and friends, Chiulli moved to 25 W. Main St. in Le Roy and remodeled the salon to fit her style. Her stepfather, Paul Walton, built the styling stations and her brother-in-law, Tom Sherman, built a coloring table. For a finishing touch, her favorite quote from C.S. Lewis hangs on the wall "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
"My goal is to have a professional fun environment," Chiulli said. "I want my clients to feel comfortable. They love the bright lighting and the openness of the salon."
In addition to offering hair styling and coloring treatments, she now has room to offer nail and waxing services. Chiulli also asked Whitmore-McClellan and her assistant Kelley Brackett to continue working at the salon. The salon has been open at the new location for about three weeks now.
Keeping up with the latest hair styles and coloring techniques is important to her. She takes styling classes regularly at Goldwell, a salon products distributor and education center, in Rochester. She also took a DevaCurl class in New York City to learn different techniques on how to cut and style curly hair.
"I like making clients feel good and giving them a change," Chiulli said. "It never gets old when I get a message from a client saying they love their hair."
Chiulli has been working as a stylist for 25 years. Before owning her hair salon, she worked at variety of salons including Shear Ego Salon and Spa in Rochester and Personal Preference Salon and Spa in Le Roy. In addition to her local clientele, she gets clients from Rochester and Geneseo, where she currently lives. She plans on continuing to grow her business in Le Roy because it's a central location for her clients.
In the future, Chiulli hopes to turn one of the salon's back rooms into a spa and offer massages.
