For nine years, Mare Hilchey’s Envy Hair Studio established her as a popular cut and color specialist. Then, she felt the need for change. On November 1, Mare Hilchey opened Snip, her new solo venture.
Of her move, Mare says, “After 23 years in the beauty business, I felt the need to simplify and focus on my clients and not on managing a larger shop like Envy. I was happy to pass ownership to Rachel Gould, who is already bringing her fresh ideas to that salon. My husband Greg and I began to look for a location. Greg found this empty space while walking Tank, our toy poodle. We recognized its potential, but it was a diamond-in-the-rough! We took the lease on October 1. While working our full-time day jobs, we spent evenings and weekends replacing floors, reworking plumbing to accommodate the shampoo sink, redoing the electrical system to allow proper lighting for a hair salon, painting walls and scouring Craig’s List to find the right furniture to capture the style I was going for,” says Mare.
The resulting decor is a perfect expression of Mare’s concept: vintage mid-century, including a beautiful, comfortable reclining 50s shampoo chair, a stylish cutting chair, 50s hair dryer, two antique crystal chandeliers from the store two doors over, a 50s dresser, wardrobe, and kidney-shaped mirror.
Mare’s large front window sports a cool sign by Ira Coyne. Mare says, “I enjoy the daily parade of Olympia’s best and most colorful. This is the right place for me at the right time. And my clients will be glad to know Tank is on hand to welcome them as always!”
206 4th Street, downtown Olympia
951-4681
open by appointment Tuesday through Saturday
new-biz-oly is written by Holly Graham. To suggest a new locally-owned business to be featured, please email olympiapowerandlight@gmail.com