Salon Celebrates 10 Years of Service in Saline

On Friday, Voilà Salon and Spa is celebrated its 10th anniversary with an open house in which staff, customers and prospective customers gathered around punch and snacks and showed their support for the Saline business.

“It’s my haven,” said Susan Culy of Saline.

Other clients also say they feel at home there. They come in and banter with the staff like old friends. Long-time client Joan Smetka brings in peanut brittle every year during the holidays.

Business Manager Bruce Halloway explained that cultivating a relationship with the clientele is essential to a profitable salon business, and this one has been successful.

The salon began as a dream of Halloway’s wife Lori. She had been a nail technician at another area salon before she and two other women started Voilà about 10 years ago.

The Halloways chose Saline because many of Lori’s clients lived in the area and because they wanted their son to attend Saline Public Schools.

Lori Halloway went on to become a certified cosmetologist under the tutelage of one of the cofounders. In-house training of cosmetologists has become a hallmark of the Voilà business model.

Six people have now completed cosmetology certification at Voilà, four of whom are still on staff, Bruce Halloway said. Lori Halloway has written a book on the practice, called "Shear Savvy, Secrets and Strategies for Successful Salon Apprenticeships."

Voilà is a full-service salon. They do haircuts, coloring, highlighting and extensions. For nails, they do manicures, pedicures and acrylics (artificial nails). They also offer facials, waxing and massage.

There are 12 certified cosmetologists on staff, as well as two massage therapists, an esthetician and a certified extensions specialist.

A more unusual service offered by the salon is “Nano Perfector Therapy,” also called a “Non-surgical Face Lift.” Voilà was the first salon in Michigan to offer this service and is still the only one in the area.

The treatment involves the application of very low voltage electrical currents. It can cause visible results after one treatment, Halloway said. The procedure has been so popular that the Halloways invested in a second device from the same company designed for body contouring.

Most, but not all of the salon clients are women. Some men come for therapeutic massage.

“Most people have an issue that causes them to seek out massage services, said Lori Halloway. Afterward they come because they enjoy it.”

Some husbands of clients have become clients themselves in this way.

Many women enjoy having their feet pampered in a Voilà Salon pedicure.

“Guys would like it too if they could get past the idea that it’s only for women.” Bruce Halloway said.

The Salon is located at 151 Keveling Drive just south of Michigan Avenue in the Saline Commerce Center.