Hairdresser goes back to her roots with new salon

Photo by Stacy Butler Sandy Braden said she wants her customers to feel at home in her salon at 421 Broad Street in downtown Nevada City. “We are a salon you would imagine in a small, quaint town that offers all the services and pampering you would

“Being in the beauty business is such a special career,” says Sandy Braden, who has nearly 30 years of salon experience. “You make so many wonderful lifelong friends and connections with the people who sit in your chair.”

 After three years of owning a boutique in Nevada City, Sandy Braden went back to her roots as a hairdresser and converted the business into a full-service beauty salon

 “Being in the beauty business is such a special career,” said Sandy, who has nearly 30 years of salon experience. “You make so many wonderful lifelong friends and connections with the people who sit in your chair.”

 Sandy B’s Boutique Salon in downtown Nevada City offers the latest in natural hair, nails and skin care. Instead of using traditional styling stations, the shop’s operators use antique vanities.

 Sandy said the salon has a “queen chair,” which is a stuffed chair used for spa-type pedicures. There’s also a quiet treatment room for facials and waxings.

 The relaxed mood and feel of the salon along with its colorful, funky vintage-style environment makes it a popular place for regulars, Braden said.

 “We have customers that come in and say ‘it feels so good to be here, like getting your hair done in a friend’s home.’ That’s about the best compliment I could receive,” she said.

 Customer service, Sandy said, will continue to be a hallmark of her salon.

 “I always wanted to own a salon that was uniquely me and offer my clients a salon they could call their own and be comfortable in,” she said. “I want our customers to feel welcomed and comfortable from the minute they walk in and throughout their appointment. We are a salon you would imagine in a small, quaint town that offers all the services and pampering you would get in a big city.”

 Sandy said she only offers salon care and products that are sulfate and paraben free as well as a hair-coloring line that is organic and ammonia free.

 “We want to be where the locals go for their salon services and to help our locals to be able to continue to pamper themselves,” said Sandy, adding that she has started a “B-Local club” that offers bi-monthly specials and monthly drawings.

 Sandy B’s Boutique Salon is at 421 Broad Street in Nevada City and open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Evening appointments are available as well. For an appointment, call 530-478-5900. For more information, visit www.sandybsalon.com.