CHRIS Whitfield and Mike Houghton have been a couple for 13 years.
They’re best friends and business partners too and despite only opening Beehive Hair Salon four years ago, the dynamic duo have had to close their books to new clients.
Chris, who is from Great Sankey, and Latchford-born Mike, are picking up top industry awards and will be going head-to-head with some of the best hairdressers in the country next month when they attend the national finals of England’s Business Awards 2022.
Here, in our Meet The Salon Owner feature, Chris, who is 32, tells us why he and 33-year-old Mike decided to open their own salon, after surviving the bomb attack at Manchester Arena in 2017, and why the business has such a family vibe.
Chris and Mike won the award for Best Hair Stylists at England's Business Awards 2022
What’s the name of the salon?
The salon is Beehive Hair Salon
What’s the address?
93 Westy Lane, Latchford, WA4 1QY
What are your opening hours?
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - 10am - 8pm
Wednesday - 10am - 4pm
Thursday - 11am - 8pm
Friday - 10am - 6pm
Saturday - 10am - 4pm
Sunday - Closed
Are you the owner/manager?
Myself, Chris, and Mike are the owners of the salon. We are both hairdressers and we also have girls who rent spaces - Glow Make Up Studio’s Rebekah and Jenna, and also Chloe from Polished Beauty By Chloe Jane.
When did you open the salon?
June 7, 2018.
Finished looks full of colour
Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?
Mike grew up in Latchford and has worked in salons all over Warrington. I grew up in Great Sankey and worked in a salon in Penketh before renting a chair for a few months in Great Sankey. Mike and I have been together for 13 years and we decided to open a salon of our own.
Tell me a bit about your salon/business. What do you do?
The salon is where Mike and I have created our hair home. We want our clients to feel completely relaxed, as if they are coming into our living room for a brew, a gossip and a catch up. Our clients have become more like friends to us. We welcome everyone into our salon and pride ourselves as being totally inclusive without judgement. Glow Make Up Studio started renting space from us in 2020 and they are a well-established business bringing their own clientele. Earlier this year, they won the North West Wedding Make Up Artists 2022 award at The Wedding Industry Awards. Polished Beauty By Chloe Jane joined us in 2021. She is Mike’s younger sister and has always had a passion for all things nails.
Customers are always made to feel welcome at Beehive Hair Salon
What’s your hair and beauty background?
Mike and I have been hairdressing for 14 years. We provide all aspects of hair services including cutting, colouring and styling. We have just recently won Best Stylists in Cheshire 2022 in England’s Business Awards and we are going to Birmingham in November to compete in the national awards.
READ MORE:
Meet the Stockton Heath hairdresser offering more than just a hair cut
Meet the hairdresser giving customers a new-found confidence in her “salon with a view”
Why did you decide to open your own salon?
We decided to open the business after years of being employed and self-employed at other salons. We were at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May 2017, where a bomb explosion claimed the lives of 22 people and injured hundreds more. Luckily, none of us were hurt but after a few challenging months we decided to open Beehive. The name is in honour of the Manchester bee, which has been the city’s emblem for 150 years, and has been used as a tribute to those who lost their lives.
How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected your business?
During the pandemic, we were closed during national and local lockdowns. Luckily, we had help from our families and Government grants and we were able to use the time to create our own product brand - Beehive Hair Care. There are eight essential hair products aimed at both female and male clients and these were sold during lockdown. Our loyal clients purchased vouchers to be used in the salon at a later date and this helped keep the business running. We also used our time to give the salon a makeover.
The salon has its own product range
What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?
Mike and I are a couple and we’re also best friends but there's no drama in the salon. Our clients love the banter and make themselves at home with a brew, a biscuit and a magazine. There’s always friendly service and clients leave feeling fabulous. The salon team is one big family.
What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your salon?
We love the space we have created within the salon but we like to keep our clients guessing what we’re going to do next. We’re looking forward to the national Business Awards next month and hoping to have some new products available in time for Christmas. We’re not able to take on any new hair clients at the moment but appointments for nails and makeup can be made in the salon or via social media.
If you would like to appear in our Meet The Salon Owner feature, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel