New Salon Opens In Fairfield: ‘We’ve Taken Every Precaution’

FAIRFIELD, CT — Wendy Brown calls her Fairfield salon “the little shop that could.”

Originally scheduled to open this winter, the Fairfield launch of Pink Soda Blow Dry Bar & Salon was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, which for months forced the closure of salons statewide. Now, the beauty industry is back open, and the business at 2475 Black Rock Turnpike started offering services last week.

“It’s set up in a way that’s very intimate,” said Brown, who owns four Pink Soda locations across Fairfield County, and described the Fairfield location as “very boutique.”

With only three salon chairs, Brown wanted to create a one-on-one experience in Fairfield where customers would feel pampered and safe.

“When they come in, they’re nervous, they’re scared, they haven’t been in for a while, so it’s more about catering to their needs,” Brown said. “… We’ve taken every precaution and then some.”

Connecticut mandates that salons maintain 50 percent capacity or lower by appointment only, with waiting rooms closed and face masks required, but Pink Soda is taking extra steps like using disposable towels.

In addition to its focus on safety, the business offers products that are vegan and chemical free. The salon specializes in blowouts, including its signature brush set, during which brushes are set in the customer’s hair while it cools to extend the life of the blowout. Pink Soda also provides a full range of services, such as cuts, coloring, smoothing and organic spray tans.

Brown started Pink Soda in her hometown of Newtown, and currently operates salons in Danbury and Stamford, where one location has reopened and a second is expected to reopen soon.

With its focus on blowouts, the pandemic’s effect on weddings and other large events has hit Pink Soda hard.

“We were booked up every weekend to the end of the year for bridal services,” Brown said.

Now, indoor gatherings are limited to 25 and outdoor events are capped at 100 to prevent transmission of the virus, and all Pink Soda’s wedding appointments are canceled. But Brown refuses to be defeated by pandemic setbacks.

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“The brand is expanding,” she said. “… Clients are always going to need to have services done.”

Pink Soda of Fairfield offers free parking for customers. For more information about the business, visit www.therealpinksoda.com.

This article originally appeared on the Fairfield Patch