CINCINNATI -- AV Beauty Bar will officially open its doors Friday, with a grand opening celebration at its first brick-and-mortar space located on the ground floor of the Olson Building at 1408 Elm St.
The salon offers a wide range of services, including blowouts, special-occasion hair styling, airbrush makeup, wardrobe styling, hair cutting, threading and eyelash extensions. During the grand opening, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Friday, AV Beauty Bar will offer select services, including blowouts, free of charge.
Free services will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The salon will also host a cocktail celebration from 5 to 8 p.m., during which free blowouts and makeup applications will be raffled off for future use.
Those asking themselves “What’s a blowout?” are not alone. Owner and stylist Ariane Victoria, who has worked in the industry for over 10 years, says customers frequently ask that question.
“It’s good to know that if you come in for a blowout, you’ll get a shampoo, followed by a blow dry with a professional Dyson hairdryer and products hand-selected to ensure longevity based on the texture of your hair,” Victoria said.
With proper instruction and care, the results of the blowout can last for up to a week. Stylists at the Beauty Bar can also add curls with styling tools after the blowout.
Aside from your classic blowout, AV Beauty Bar said it will also become known for natural makeup application.
“If you’ve ever had a bad experience with an overdone makeover, let us make you a believer in natural-looking makeup!” Victoria said.
After managing a salon in Chicago, managing a boutique in Soho, New York City, and moving to Nashville to manage and style James Luxe Beauty, Victoria, a Cincinnati native, was ready to bring her talent home. In starting her own business and first solo venture in Over-the-Rhine, she hopes to bring with her the energy from other places she has lived.
AV Beauty bar got its start as an on-location business – working on movie/film sets, at weddings and in clients’ homes. Victoria wanted to offer the same luxury styling service to the general public, at an affordable price. After finding success with this model for 10 years, she felt the time was right to open a brick-and-mortar shop in 2016.
She contacted Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) to ask about available spaces and fell in love with the organization’s street-level space in the Olson, just a block north of Washington Park. But Victoria is just as excited about her potential new customers as she is the physical location of her salon.
“The Beauty Bar experience is very personal, and about the individual client feeling his or her best,” Victoria said. “In an industry that is constantly evolving, our stylists are always working to keep up with trends and education in many services, like threading, waxing, and lash extensions.”
The list of services offered at the salon will continue to grow based on local demand – and customers who don’t see a service they are interested in are encouraged to ask. While walk-ins are always welcome, the Beauty Bar has an online system for pre-booking appointments. The stylists at AV Beauty Bar are also willing to make in-home visits to provide all services.
Following the grand opening, AV Beauty Bar’s regular hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
