Meet The Salon Owner at Christopher Millea Hairdressing

The hard-working 39-year-old started a Saturday job in a salon when he left school and knew instantly that it was the career for him.

Here, in our latest Meet The Salon Owner feature, Christopher, who owns Christopher Millea Hairdressing, tells us about his hairdressing adventures so far and how he hopes to inspire the next generation of stylists.

If you would like to be featured in Meet The Salon Owner, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

What’s the name of the salon/business?

Christopher Millea Hairdressing

What’s the address?

37 Market Street

Hoylake

Wirral

CH47 2BG

Are you the owner/manager?

I’m the salon owner.

How many employees do you have?

We currently have seven team members in total.

When did you open the salon?

We opened in Hoylake in April 2022.

Christopher Millea Hairdressing opened on Market Street in Hoylake a year ago

Has it always been in the same location?

No, we were originally based in Bebington but we had to close and move to Hoylake after the landlord decided they wanted the salon back for their own business.

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

I am originally from Liverpool but moved to Wirral when I was 19. I lived here till I was 34 but I'm now based in Manchester.

Glossy, bouncy waves

Tell me a bit about your salon/business

Owning a business and a salon have always been massive goals of mine. When I first started in the industry, I wanted to open my own salon and I knew where I wanted to be. It's been a real journey but I absolutely love it and wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s been crazy but worth it. The job satisfaction I get every day, when I see how well the team is doing, is the best feeling. It makes me feel very proud.

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What do you do? What services do you provide?

In the salon we offer so many services - cutting and styling but mainly hair colour, it's by far our most popular service. We also specialise in bridal hair which has been great as it gets our name and brand out there.

Clients feel relaxed and welcomed inside the salon

Why did you decide to open your own salon?

I decide to open my own salon because it was my vision. I am inspired by people who want to achieve more and I’m always looking for the next challenge.

What’s your hair and beauty background?

I have been hairdressing for around 24 years. It's taken me to some great places and I have achieved so much yet at the same time I feel like I'm only just starting out. I was never good at anything as a youngster so being good at hairdressing means everything to me. I have completed master colour programs, trained with super talented hair stylists, worked weddings abroad in place like Greece and Ibiza and had a great time meeting fantastic people along the way. Opening the salon is by far my biggest achievement.

A colourful new look

Why this type of business?

I love salon life. In the summer holidays after leaving school, I felt lost and started a Saturday job. It instantly felt right and for the first time, I knew where I needed to be.

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How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect your business?

Covid was hard and to be fair it is still affecting us. We lost a lot of business during lockdowns but we are a strong team and like many businesses we have to continue pushing forward. I tried to take the positives out of the pandemic as it gave me time to sit back and plan for the future. It gave me time to set future goals and assess where I wanted the business and team to go. It was definitely a tough time but you have to have a positive outlook.

A hard-working team of seven works at the salon

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

We have a great team of creative people in our salon and everyone offers something different. We have short hair specialists and extension specialists, we have young clients and older clients as well as everyone in between. We try our best to be as inclusive as possible and cater to everyone’s needs. There are plenty of salons in Hoylake but I think our dedication to training and wanting to better our brand helps us stand out. We have great reviews about the atmosphere in shop, as we are all good friends as well as colleagues.

Why do loyal clients return to your business?

Customers always say they feel relaxed when they come into the salon, so I think this helps with our returning clientele. The atmosphere is very relaxed. The staff work so hard to provide the best customer service and always go the extra mile.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your salon?

The future looks bright for us. We have been nominated for some great awards this year including best colour salon, best hairdresser and best salon team. Training is definitely something we’re focusing on and we’d love to have our own trading school to hopefully inspire a younger generation of stylists.

The team specialises in bridal hair