Monique completes Covid-hit first year in salon in style
AN Allenton salon owner has expressed her relief after facing a challenging but “amazing” first year in business.
Monique Murphy, 29, first opened Monique Hair and Beauty last September after building up clients as a mobile hairdresser.
She decided to set up her base in Nightingale Road to avoid travelling across the county to reach her customers. She said: “I don’t know what I thought would happen when I opened, to be honest.
“It was just one of those ‘I woke up today and decided I was opening a salon’ moments, but when I’m actually in the salon and it’s fully booked and packed with the other salon staff members, I’m definitely glad I did it.
“I didn’t realise I had so many clients as well, I thought I couldn’t be driving to so many different places, so that’s why I opened the salon.
“It’s obviously been on and off for when we could open, but it’s been amazing. All the times we’ve been open it’s been busy non-stop so it’s all been good.”
Monique said she found her niche when she opened her new salon.
Specialising in braiding Afro-Caribbean hair, Monique uses a variety of techniques including box braiding and weaving. She discovered the type of hair she could treat was different to most other Derby-based businesses and her clients were passionate about her work.
She said: “I do get on with quite a lot of people, and I know a lot of people say in
Derby that Afro-Caribbean hairdressers are hard to find, because I specialise in braiding so it’s kind of niche.
“It’s great for someone to know they can go to Monique’s salon to have your hair braided or anything to do with black hair really.
“There’s not a lot in Derby, with black clients they normally have their hair done by a family member or have to travel out of town for it, there’s not really been a salon where they could get their hair washed, dried and plaited.
“When I was originally looking I would have liked to go into town but now I’m thinking I’m happy in Allenton. It’s a lot less stress, and a lot cheaper as well.”
Monique said she had been pleasantly surprised by the success her business has seen since opening last year.
After having to close the shop several times due to nationwide lockdowns, and after putting new Covid measures in place to protect her customers, she believes the salon has come back stronger than ever.
She said: “The only bad thing was the second lockdown, in January to April, because that took a toll on a lot of people’s mental health.
“With the clients coming into the salon, it was a relief for them because they would talk about what was going on at home, about their friends and family, and when you’re stuck at home, you can’t really talk to anyone sometimes.
“I know we’ve not worked the whole year, but it’s just flown by. I’m really happy and thankful to the others that have worked here because without them it wouldn’t have been the same.”