Business Spotlight: 'Salon Vita Luna' Offers Break from the Crazy Life

Sheila Randa knew she wanted to be a hairdresser ever since she was ten years old.

"My Dad is a doctor and mom a nurse, and in fifth grade I wrote down that I wanted to go to a technical school on a career test," Randa recalls, laughing. "Everybody kind of had a heart attack."

However, her dreams came true and after an 18-year, on and off and on again career in hairstyling, Randa is the proud owner of her own salon. Housed in the same building as Tonelli's Takeout, owned by husband Joe at 435 Germantown Pike, Salon Vita Luna opened in January 2012.

The location was formerly Lafayette Hill Hair Styling, but Randa took over after previous owner John Richards entered semi-retirement at age 66. However, Richards still takes old clients while working for Randa.

"We really kind of helped each other out," says Randa. "We ripped out all the old equipment, put in European-style sinks, square base chairs, and everything is very modernized now. I'm trying to expand the clientele and bring in some younger customers."

When asked about what differentiates her salon from others, Randa offers a number of different answers. But the bottom line becomes clear: she wants to offer an affordable, friendly alternative to driving long distances for expensive treatments.

"A lot of people from around here go to the Main Line or the city or Cherry Hill to get their hair done because they feel like they need to spend it, says Randa. "My prices are very competitive; I can basically save people a lot of money. And I want them to feel like they're at their best friend's house."

Salon Vita Luna certainly has the feel to it. Between questions, Randa chitchats with a friend who brought along a daughter and her classmate. But beside the friendly service, Randa also has experience and pedigree. She proudly remembers taking first place in a statewide hairstyling contest while pursuing her degree at Empire Beauty School.

"That was my big moment… that's when I knew I was pursuing the right career," Randa recalls.

She then worked for about a decade at Salon Nochea in Horsham before setting down the scissors to raise her two kids; a daughter, now eight, and son, now five. However, her old boss called her up last year for extra help and Randa says it reignited the passion.

"When I got back into it, I realized how much I missed it," Randa says.

Fast forward to a year later, and now she's running her own salon. And she's got plenty to handle; Vita Luna offers an array of services such as Brazilian blowouts, newer services such as keratin treatments, airbrush tanning, makeup applications and waxing.

However, Randa is just happy that she can once again talk to clients and help them with their "Vita Luna."

"It means ‘crazy life’ in Latin, and basically my mission statement is for people to come in here and get rid of their crazy for a couple of hours," Randa says. "I just want them to give their worries to me and I'll make them look good in the meantime. That's my passion-- to make people look good and feel better about themselves."

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Salon Vita Luna is open Tuesday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

You can also find them on Facebook.