When entrepreneur Sharon Pepe-Aceto decided she wanted to own her own business, she turned to her inner passion for inspiration. That passion? Making people look and feel great.
“Beauty and fashion have always been a passion of mine,” she said.
On Thursday, local dignitaries joined her for a formal grand opening celebration of her new salon, Shiana Hair, which began serving customers in late January. The new business is located on the lower level of 1020 Chapel St., part of the Shops at Yale.
“I decided I wanted to work for myself and this would be a good fit,” Pepe-Aceto said.
It’s a career pivot for Pepe-Aceto, who previously worked in accounting for a car company for many years.
Her new salon has nine employees, and she hopes to expand in the future.
“Everyone so far has been really welcoming and hoping for the best for us,” Pepe-Aceto said. “We’ve invested in high-quality tools and hope people will come and take advantage of our offerings.”
The salon offers customers a range of services, including haircuts and styling, blow drying, coloring, waxing, makeup application and styling for special events. The salon features a panoply of professional products, including vegan and environmentally friendly options for customers.
Pepe-Aceto is a New Haven native, and she and her family have lived in the Morris Cove neighborhood for generations.
“Operating in downtown New Haven was always a dream of mine,” she said. “From the time I was a teenager taking the bus to go to the old [Chapel Square] mall I knew I wanted to own a business in downtown New Haven.”
New salon owner Sharon Pepe-Aceto addresses a crowd of supporters at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for Shiana Hair.
To cater to the business community, the salon opens its doors at 7 a.m. Mondays to provide blow drying for professionals who want to start the work week with straight locks.
Lauren Zucker, Yale University’s associate vice president for New Haven affairs and University Properties, referenced her own naturally curly hair to the crowd gathered at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Those of us with curly hair are happy with this blow dryer bar,” Zucker said. “We are so excited to celebrate the opening of Shiana Hair, and delighted to see [Pepe-Aceto]’s dream become a reality. I could spend an entire day here.”
The salon is open Mondays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is available at 255 Crown St., behind the salon.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
