An award-winning, independently owned salon on Leamington Spa’s Park Street is celebrating a quarter of a century in business and has marked the occasion with a striking refurbishment that pays tribute to its past while looking firmly to the future.

Geiko, the Japanese-inspired hair salon founded in 2001, has spent 25 years building a reputation as one of the town’s most cherished independent businesses.

To celebrate the milestone, owner Paula McIntosh has overseen a top-to-toe renovation of the salon, from a newly painted frontage in a bold shade of green to a reimagined reception and bar area inspired, one regular client joked, by “a Virgin VIP lounge.”

The refurbishment wasn’t about starting again, but about refining what already worked. Cherished pieces of artwork collected over the decades are found throughout the space, sitting alongside fresh granite surfaces and a redesigned layout which is a considered blend of heritage and renewal that reflects the salon’s enduring ethos.

That ethos, rooted in the salon’s name meaning “women of art” in Japanese, has always centred on creating a tranquil, welcoming space where clients feel genuinely cared for.

It’s a philosophy that has carried the business through economic downturns, shifting trends, and the upheaval of the pandemic, emerging each time with renewed energy.

Education and investment in people sit at the heart of Geiko’s success story. Many of today’s senior stylists began their careers as apprentices at the salon, a pipeline Paula credits as central to the business’s longevity.

The team trains continually with premium haircare brand Keune, for whom Geiko is proud to be one of a select group of UK ambassador salons, and the salon’s specialist hair extension technicians are fully trained through Beauty Works.

That relentless focus on skill and craft was recognised in 2024, when Geiko was named Best Hair Salon in England at the England Business Awards – a fitting achievement as the salon approaches its 25th year.

Speaking about the milestone, Paula McIntosh, Geiko’s proud owner, said:

“Twenty-five years is a huge moment for us, but I never want to take that for granted, as that’s what keeps you striving to be better.

“At the heart of it, we’ve always wanted our customers to walk into a sanctuary where they can relax and feel good about themselves.

“This refurbishment isn’t about becoming something new; it’s about becoming a sharper version of who we’ve always been and walking into the new space, I get that exact same excited feeling I had on day one – so here’s to our next 25 years.”

With a loyal clientele that spans generations and a team dedicated to nurturing the next wave of hairdressing talent, Geiko shows no signs of losing momentum as it enters its second quarter-century.

To learn more or make a booking, please visit Geiko’s website: www.geiko.co.uk or pop in to meet the team at 12 Park Street, Leamington Spa, CV32 4QN.

Images:

1. Geiko salon founder and owner Paula McIntosh
2. Geiko’s bold new frontage found at 12 Park Street, Leamington Spa
3. Geiko salon’s welcoming interior.
4. Geiko salon’s beautiful new interior.
5. Geiko means “women of art” in Japanese
6. The popular bar area in Geiko Salon, Leamington Spa