Meet Sofia Navarro of Salon Mantra in Fort Lauderdale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sofia Navarro.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have been a hairdresser for 16 years. I owned a 900 square foot salon for 9 years in Fort Lauderdale.

Our salon family started to grow (including our client list) and it was time to expand! I took the advice from my salon manager, Brian to buy a building and ditch increasing rent prices on the beach. 6 months later I bought a 2 story building on the Galt. Upon research at the building department preparing for the renovation of the space I learned that the space was a salon in the 60’s and some years later became a bank. We kept the original vault intact during reno and also a beautiful spiral staircase leading to our 2nd floor employee lounge. Spaces with this kind of character are rare finds in South Florida and I wanted to do my part to maintain the vibe and history. We now house a 3,000 square feet hair mecca offering eyelash extensions, facial threading, spray tanning and a shampoo spa. We are happy and proud to share the space to host education for our craft with local salons and hairstylists. We also host trunk shows with local clothing and jewelry designers. I am happy to have brought my vision and dream to life creating a cool and inspiring space to create! The feedback has been motivating and inspires me to make Salon Mantra unforgettable and unique for our guests. The industrial-chic design has captured the vibe of our progressive and talented team of artists. My greatest reward has been to watch this amazing space come to life with talent and an inviting vibe to stay and chill a while….

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The reno took 18 months! We were originally told 6 months beginning to end! Permits alone took 9 months.

Please tell us about Salon Mantra.
We are an upscale salon specializing in color and Balayage. We offer Keratins, hair Botox and specialty hair and scalp treatments in a dedicated shampoo spa. We also offer eyelash extensions, facial threading, spray tanning and make up applications. We also host color/cutting classes for outside artists and our Wella Haircolor distributor. We are one of few salons in our area that offer hair Botox.

We are also currently the largest salon on the east side of Broward. We also offer gender neutral haircut pricing. We charge by head and time, not by gender.

Hair Botox is a texturizing treatment that smooths and tames the hair adding a glassy shine and preserving color giving the hair a more youthful, and healthier look. Perfect for South Florida weather!

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have believed in my vision sooner. I’m amazed at what I’ve been able to accomplish by releasing worry and doubt.

Pricing:

• Base Colors start at $50
• Balayage and Highlights start at $65
• Glazes start at $25
• Gender Neutral Hair Cut start at $40
• Keratin and Hair Botox start at $150
• Scalp Conditioning start at $30
• Bonders start at $15 added to color/lightning

Contact Info:

• Address: Salon Mantra
  3433 Galt Ocean Drive,
  Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
• Website: www.salonmantra.com
• Phone: 954-396-4247
• Email: salonmantra@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmantra/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalonMantraFTL/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/salon-mantra-fort-lauderdale

Image Credit:
Lauren Morehouse Photography

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