Te Awamutu hair salon moves to new location as team expands

The team at KLB & Hair, from left, Mason James Butler, Nikita Boswell-Hearfield, owner Kristy-Leigh Butler and Zhara Kennedy. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

The team at KLB & Hair marked the opening of their new salon this week with a celebration on Monday night.

Family, friends and clients attended the opening celebration at the new salon at 279 Alexander St, formerly the Antique House.

"We were quite pleased with our turnout and it was a really nice mix of people, it was a lot of fun and everyone was totally excited about the new space, which is what the night was all about," says owner Kristy-Leigh Butler.

"We were just so excited to show everyone."

To support local, the catering for the night was by Red Kitchen, What the Food and Central Cafe.

KLB & Hair's barber Mason James Butler was doing shaves and trims on the night. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

This is Kristy-Leigh's third salon space in Te Awamutu throughout her career.

She opened her first 16 years ago at 477 Sloane St, now home to Bridgestone Tyre Centre.

The second was a few doors up from the new salon, at 295 Alexander St where it spent the past eight years, but it has now outgrown the space.

For quite a while her team consisted of herself and main stylist Nikita Boswell-Hearfield, but now includes Mason James Butler, the salon's barber, and apprentice Zhara Kennedy. "We've always needed more space, more so than ever because we've had our apprentice Zhara come onboard and she is progressing very quickly and already building her own clientele," says Kristy-Leigh.

"I also just think it's great to recreate your business anyway, to keep your staff motivated and inspired by their environment."

The salon, which has an urban-industrial design feel, has eight chairs, three more than the previous salon, as well as a beauty room where Kristy-Leigh is providing microblading cosmetic eyebrows. Services such as eyelash extensions and eyebrow shaping will be offered soon.

Stand-out design features include a black tiled wall, giant mirrors that span from the floor nearly to the ceiling and industrial shelving.

The design of the new salon comes from urban industrial inspiration says Kristy-Leigh. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

Most of the construction of the new salon was done by Kristy-Leigh's builder father, Dennis Butler. "You can see my dad's amazing craftsmanship, it's beautiful work and his sorts of skills are hard to come by. I think it's pretty cool that I can be like, 'my dad did this'," says Kristy-Leigh.

Kristy-Leigh's mother, Sandra Butler, handles the business and money side of things, which leaves Kristy-Leigh to focus on styling and coming up with new ideas, which she prefers.

Kristy-Leigh says throughout her whole career, family has been an important part of her business.

"What we enjoy and I think our clients do to, is that we are very family orientated," says Kristy-Leigh.

"I've known Nikita since she was just 2, Zhara is my eldest daughter's best friend and our barber, Mason, is my nephew. We're like a cosy little family and we've also got clients
who have been with us through all three salons.

"So as much as we like to be professional we are very much down to earth family orientated people –and I think in a community like Te Awamutu this really works."