With all of the salons in Buffalo, how does one set itself apart from the rest?

For Gina Calamita, owner of and top stylist for Vanity Salon on Hertel, making sure her customers are having fun and enjoying themselves is as important as the quality of the service you receive.

Vanity Salon opened at the end of 2005.  Nestled on the corner of Hertel and North Park in the former Buffalo Antiques spot, the salon is located in a pretty rad building with that one-of-a-kind look (inside and out) that oozes character only those older structures in Buffalo can offer.

After talking to Gina and her staff, and observing their interaction with clients, one thing became very apparent: they were like one big, diverse, happy family - fashion students to UB professors to professional models - all having fun and enjoying being with each other at the salon.

The familial atmosphere surrounding me piqued my curiosity.

"You build a relationship. They're people that inspire me - it works both ways," explains Gina.  "Clients will call me when they're having a bad day. The salon is like a get-away. They leave happy."

Gina went on to say how much she loves her job, as it's a way for her to teach people about beauty and styling.

"I have a lot of learn-teach relationships in my life. You get something more than just a hairstyle."

Because of the attention that is focused on customers, Vanity Salon offers regular client appreciation discounts and deals, as well as ongoing specials including Friday Night Ladies Night, Mimosa Saturdays and Birthday Extravaganzas.

What is awesome about any one of these specials is that they cater to whatever it is you, as the client, want with an entertaining spin on it.  With Friday Night Ladies Night, clients can pre-game at the salon (BYO) and get ready for a night out.  Mimosa Saturdays is exactly what it sounds like - mimosas are served all day on Saturdays.  Birthday Extravaganza you say? This is geared towards the younger style icons around town, ages 12 and under, to host their birthday parties at the salon and get dolled up with their friends. Girls can choose from one of three style options during the party: hair up or down; styled straight or curly; or a mini mani/pedi. Oh, if only I were 5 again, this would have won out over the Ronald McDonald birthday party, hands down.

Beyond these set specials, the sky is really the limit with what you can do at Vanity Salon.  I was told of a bride that hosted her shower at the salon (remember that rad space I mentioned above? Yep, it's rad enough to rent out for an occasion).  The salon is open to the community and welcomes hosting various events for all occasions, all clientele.

Vanity does have a strong presence on Facebook, where the salon uses it as a public forum to do anything from posting pictures from the latest party the salon hosted or the latest hairstyles and trends, to answering fans questions about hair, makeup and styling. It's a way for Gina and her staff to keep themselves open and available to their clients, including offering quick solutions for problems or questions that arise on any given bad hair day.

What I just described is very enticing, but let me cut to the chase for some readers out there: for many people, picking a good salon is about the quality of the stylists.  Just short of asking for her resume, I got the details on Gina's experience, which is quite impressive.  She has been doing hair and styling for 20 years and prior to opening Vanity Salon, was at Capello Salon for eight years.  Gina has done numerous commercials, magazine spreads, photo shoots and fashion shows on both local and national levels, but gained international fame when she was a finalist in the elite Intercoiffure Mondial competition for hairdressers. Gina was trained in hair and styling at the famed Goldwell Academy in London. She is very modest about her accomplishments and well-earned accolades and is just happy to be doing what she's doing as a small business owner and single mom.  Gina takes great pride in making Vanity Salon a place for people to relax, have fun and be taken care of and she welcomes all to come have a mimosa.

I had the opportunity to do a photo shoot showcasing some of the salon's hair and makeup trends - be sure to check out that post, coming soon!

Vanity Salon
1413 Hertel Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14216
716.836.4574 / vanityofbflo@gmail.com

Tues & Thurs, 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Fri, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.