BEVERLY — Relaxation Station Salon in Beverly is intentionally named after its neighbor — Relaxation Station.
The new salon at 10655 S. Hale Ave. in Beverly hopes to benefit from sharing a name with the long-standing day spa next door that offers massages, facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures.
"We are just an extension of Relaxation Station to make the building more functional," Lisa Ahern said Tuesday.
Ahern, a Beverly resident, partnered with Ann-Marie Trepac of Mount Greenwood to open the salon March 2. Their new business replaces an aging dry-cleaning shop that closed in early January.
Lisa Ahern (left) and Ann-Marie Trepac opened Relaxation Station Salon March 2 at 10655 S. Hale Ave. in Beverly. The pair intentionally named their business after neighboring Relaxation Station, a long-standing massage center. [DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig]
Both Ahern and Trepac previously worked at Beverly's Tranquility Salon for 5½ years and left after the business model changed from stylists renting chairs to a commission-based system.
"When we were looking in the neighborhood to rent a booth, there were very slim options," said Ahern, who has been building her client base in Beverly for the past 18 years.
Relaxation Station Salon will remain on a chair rental system — meaning stylists carry their own insurance and are responsible for building their own customer base. Their chair rental includes the use of some hair products as well as a shared shampoo technician and the workspace.
Relaxation Station has four chairs for rent. Ahern and Trepac are in negotiations with several stylists interested in filling the spots. For now, the business is open from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.
The hours are expected to change as more independent stylists are brought on. The pair are also hoping to take advantage of customers who regularly visit the neighboring massage center, which has been in business for the past 27 years, Ahern said.
She also believes the nearby 107th Street Metra station and Ellie's Cafe stand to benefit the new salon, as she's convinced this pocket of the neighborhood seems to have a bit of a buzz already.
"The location is awesome," she said. "Our goal is to make people want to come to this area."
