BY ANN CIPPERLY
FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — As one of the longest operating businesses in downtown Opelika, Envy Salon on Railroad Avenue is celebrating its 16th year. Over the years, owner Holly Surrency has received awards for expert hair styling and colorings, including Redken’s top award, which only a few salons receive nationwide. With increased success, Holly is celebrating the salon’s anniversary by expanding the number of stylists and redecorating the shop for the second time in 16 years.
The Gallery on Railroad, Café 123, The Breezeway, Taylor-Made and Winston Smith T Hardware are the only other shops that are still operating that were downtown when the salon opened. Holly opened the Coveted Closet Boutique adjoining the salon in 2012.
Holly has been a hair stylist for 32 years. Since she was a small child she has always wanted to do hair. In fact, she has no memories of wanting to do anything else. After graduating from Southern Union, she worked at salons in Opelika and Auburn for several years, expanding her skills and building popularity among clients.
Among them were Ashley and John Marsh, who were renovating buildings in downtown Opelika. They were also friends, and they encouraged her to open her own salon. They approached her to look at a space John had renovated on Railroad Avenue. Holly knew she wanted an upscale setting for her salon, and she was impressed with the work the Marshes had accomplished on the building, as well as liking the downtown setting.
Holly opened the salon in 2008, just as the economy began to crash. She slowly added one stylist one at a time, and now the salon now has 13 stylists, five assistants and three receptionists and is expanding.
“Two of my biggest commitments were to make sure that I educated these girls and that we go to hair shows,” Holly said. “The reason the salon does so well is because people are hired when they are in school and are shampoo assistants. When they graduate, they become part of the associate program at the salon, which is a training program that I and other stylists conduct. That program lasts several months. We train beyond their school training before they are allowed to do hair and have a station.”
The salon has at least three in-house training sessions a year by Redken artists, and stylists go to an annual hair show to stay up to date.
“We do a lot of training,” Holly said. “It is the most important thing to me. In hair school students learn how to pass the state board, which is important, but they need further training. A lot of salons don’t do the extra training, but we do.”
Holly and stylists have attended hair shows in New York, Las Vegas, Dallas and Orlando, among other places. They are attending a hair show in Nashville this year.
“We get along well and have fun on the trips, too,” Holly added. “It is important to me that they are happy. We are a team.”
Another of Holly’s commitments is that clients experience a blissful experience in an elegant setting at the salon. When a client is seated, they are asked if they would like a refreshing beverage or a complimentary glass of wine to sip for relaxing. A sideboard is stocked with pastries, assorted teas and coffees.
Music is upbeat in the styling area and soothing in the color processing and shampoo room that also has soft lighting. At the end of shampooing, staff provides a scalp massage. Clients leave the salon with beautifully styled and perfectly colored hair.
“We want people to feel that they are well taken care of while here,” Holly said.
While at the salon, clients can shop a wide variety of Redken hair products and browse Coveted Closet for a new outfit or an accessory. On the day clients have their hair appointment, they receive a 10% discount off clothes and jewelry in the boutique.
“I work hard to have the best salon,” Holly said. “That is my goal. I am not competing against other salons, I am competing against myself. I always want to train these girls and make my salon the best possible.”
Holly said she feels it is also important to redecorate the salon every seven years.
“We are on trend with hair styling, fashion and decorating,” she said. “There is a trend in hair styles and also in decorating. It is important to me that the salon looks updated.”
Envy is a Redken Black Elite Salon and one of the only ones in Alabama. Holly has both a Redken design and a color certification that she received after two tests in New York City.
The salon has clients from around east Alabama. As Holly looks back on the salon’s success in 16 years, she said, “I can’t think of any other place I would rather be than in downtown Opelika. I love it.”
