What’s not to love about simple, affordable beauty services that pamper a customer enough, so that she feels deserving of the “hello gorgeous” sign emblazoned on the salon wall? Welcome to the recently opened Blo Blow Dry Bar La Mesa, a blow dry bar that offers clients customized hair styling blowouts based on seven “signature” hairstyles.
What’s not to love about simple, affordable beauty services that pamper a customer enough, so that she feels deserving of the “hello gorgeous” sign emblazoned on the salon wall? Welcome to the recently opened Blo Blow Dry Bar La Mesa, a blow dry bar that offers clients customized hair styling blowouts based on seven “signature” hairstyles.
The cost for one of these basic blowouts is $40. Better still, the blow dry bar takes a customer’s hair from shampoo and conditioning to finished styling blowout in under an hour. The La Mesa “blo-cation” (as it styles itself) provides “no cuts, no color” for hair but rather “just wash, blow and go.” The salon also has manicures and makeup services among the menu options.
Shop co-owners Shelby and Marina Wilson are excited about their new business, East County’s first blowout and beauty bar. Shelby has been a licensed makeup artist for three years. Marina, her mother, has a background in hospitality businesses. Both are longtime East County residents. They described themselves as “best friends” and good business partners because they “get along business-wise.” Marina Wilson summed up their new endeavor, “This is a business risk, but we believe it will be rewarding.”
The daughter-mother pair premiered their blowout bar over the Grand Opening Weekend of Dec. 11-13, with reduced price specials for beauty services.
“This is a chance for a woman to take a break, get away from the kids and be pampered for an hour,” Marina Wilson said.
Blo La Mesa is the third area franchise of Blo Blow Dry Bar, joining locations in downtown San Diego and Carlsbad. Blo is North America’s first and largest blow dry concept enterprise, with over 65 franchises currently and plans for expansion in the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe.
“We saw this as a good opportunity,” Marina Wilson disclosed. “I wanted to invest in a company franchise, and I was impressed by the Blo corporate profile. We started the process in July and it unrolled from there. We really jumped in with both feet.”
The Wilsons have hired 14 employees for Blo La Mesa.
“From my background, I believe that service is the key thing to business success, good customer service,” Marina Wilson continued. “People will come back for a smiling face at the door and a fun atmosphere.”
Blo La Mesa certainly measures up, by those standards. The shop features good background music, a sleek, clean, modern but feminine facility, complimentary champagne, wine or other beverages on request, and friendly, knowledgeable stylists.
And the blowout styling is as “awesome” as the Wilsons said the service would be.
I received a blowout on Monday, Dec. 14, after the shop’s opening weekend. The choices among the seven signature blowout styles on the hair menu range from the razor-straight Executive Sweet, to the Holly Would with big, bouncy curls, and the Pillow Talk featuring relaxed beachy waves. Updo and braid styles are other options.
I chose the Red Carpet style’s basic blowout, for smooth, gently romantic face-framing curls. My “style boss” was Kenzie Thompson, who applied the shop’s Unite hair products, including conditioner, volumizer and smoothing finish to tame my often-unruly locks. Thompson described the Unite products as impressive, saying they are sulfate free and manufactured locally in Vista. The results were lovelier and faster than I have ever achieved as a do-it-yourself blow dry self-stylist.
Thompson said that she is happy to now be working only five minutes from her La Mesa home. She is eager and enthusiastic about her new job role too, saying that she is enjoying the camaraderie of being part of the ground-floor startup, as the stylists come together as an effective work team. For potential styling clients, Thompson smiled and said, “Remember, you are not cheating on your usual hairdresser if you come here.”
Blo La Mesa, at 8806 Grossmont Blvd., is open seven days a week. Walk-in customers are welcome, although the Wilsons recommend making appointments for weekend services, as the salon chairs on the shop’s first Saturday were booked up. Two membership opportunities allow payment for multiple services, each at lower prices. Additional available treatments include deep conditioning and hair extension installation. Bridal parties may book the entire salon. More information can be found, and reservations can be made, by phoning (619) 825-7980 or online at blomedry.com.
