Back in 2004, Sara and Dave Crapper made the bold and courageous decision to open a hair salon. Aged just 21 at the time, with zero hairdressing experience between them, the idea of their venture successfully taking off seemed, well, maybe a little unlikely. 10 years on, and Sara and Dave’s vision is now one of Sheffield’s most successful hair salons – with Hair Kandi recently celebrating its 10th anniversary! Their venture began as a passion to create a hair salon with a difference, creating something that was completely customer focused, and to banish the stereotype associated with salons. “We were young, very enthusiastic, and up for the challenge,” said Sara. “Most of our friends saw it as a pipedream, but we had a vision that we strongly believed in, and the determination to see it through.” Their humble beginnings started in a small shop on Ecclesall Road. After the rapid growth and success of Hair Kandi, in 2010 they relocated to a much bigger space on West Street, the former location of Barclays Bank. “It was during the recession, many banks were closing, and this beautiful building came onto the market,” adds Dave. “Our business was thriving and we were in a strong position to take advantage of the opportunity. It was a risk, but it’s turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made.” The salon on West Street blends tall ceilings, exposed brick and steelwork
alongside comfortable sofas, designer furniture and local artwork. There’s a cinema screen playing old cartoons in the hair washing area, and a long list of complimentary beverages including mulled wine over the festive period. Now that’s what we call exceptional customer service. The size of the space has allowed Hair Kandi to expand their services. They now employ over 20 stylists and offer a huge range of extra services - such as nails, tanning, facials and waxing. To celebrate their 10 year anniversary, Hair Kandi threw a massive bangin’ party at
their salon. Joined by 150 guests, Dave and Sara treated attendees to complimentary cocktails; all the while being entertained by Hair Kandi’s receptionist Jessica Steele who was a finalist on The Voice. So where does Hair Kandi go from here? According to Sara, it’s about keeping customer expectations at the forefront. “The most important thing to us is our customers. We love to express ourselves creatively and work outside of the salon in the fashion industry - but we get no greater satisfaction than making our customers feel great with a new haircut.”
For more info about Hair Kandi, see www.hairkandi.com.
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