Modern Salon Concepts Soon To Debut In Somersville

SOMERS, CT — A new concept in the hair and beauty industry - Modern Salon Concepts, in fact - is nearly ready to make its debut in Somersville, in the longtime home of a former pizza place.

Owner Don Demers purchased the property at 112 Main St. in late October. The former site of Frankie's Firehouse Restaurant had been closed since summer 2019. Formerly co-owner of a large salon in north-central Connecticut, Demers sold his interest in August when the opportunity to be at the front end of a trend in the industry arose.

His new business will consist of 11 suites, to be run by individual entrepreneurs who sign short-term leases with Demers.

"You can be a barber, hairdresser, nail tech, massage therapist - anything where you'd need a room or suite," Demers said in a recent interview with Patch. "Each unit will be very large for the industry, most well over 100 square feet. They are separate rooms, so inside their four walls, that's their salon."

Demers says the hair and beauty industry has changed dramatically since he first got involved in the business nearly 30 years ago, particularly in this coronavirus pandemic environment.

"There used to be just two ways of being in the business - either a commissioned hairstylist or chair rental," he said. "This is going to be the trend moving forward. Essentially you're able to start a business with no startup. I eat all the startup costs; all you do is sign a lease with me and move forward from there. It's definitely the newest trend, especially since COVID has come along, because everyone wants isolation now. In the COVID era, it's a lot easier to sanitize your own small area."

Each fully enclosed suite comes equipped with a chair, sinks and basic essentials. "They get to decorate any way they want," Demers said.

Overhaul of the 3,120 square foot building, constructed in 1932, began in early January, with Jay DeLorge of JLD Enterprises handling the bulk of the work. The dining area of the former restaurant was an easy task, but removing the entire kitchen area "was a bit of a hassle," DeLorge said, adding the entire building was "totally gutted to the studs."

A 1991 graduate of Enfield High School, Demers admittedly "had no direction at the time" before enrolling at the Connecticut Institute of Hair Design in East Hartford, from where he graduated in 1993.

"I was going to be a barber," he recalled. "I used to cut my friends' hair as a kid, and I enjoyed it and was good at it. One thing led to another, and I've made a great career out of it."

He expects to start getting commitments from tenants this week, and hopes to have the first five rooms ready to open by mid-March.

More information may be obtained from Demers at 860-978-6771.

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