Belmontians eyeing the empty Belmont Center storefronts may have noticed a sign announcing the impending arrival of Society Beauty Bar. The full-service hair salon is slated to open this summer at 73 Leonard St.
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Society Beauty Bar specializes in partial balayage, a hair highlighting technique where color is swept through the hair to create a gradation of lighter color toward the bottom of the ends of the hair, as well as haircuts. Stylists are encouraged to take advantage of the salon’s continuing education opportunities to stay abreast of the latest trends and techniques.
Owner Laura Khesin, who also operates a Society Beauty Bar in Arlington, had been looking for a second location for more than six months before settling on Belmont Center. She loves what she calls the “town center feeling,” having spent a good amount of time in the restaurants and shops along Leonard Street, and “wanted to contribute to the busy sidewalks and cute storefronts.”
She’s also excited to be located next to The Wellington, noting how much she enjoys the mussels and affogato, and The Toy Shop of Belmont. As a mother of three young boys, Khesin said it was important to be located close to home, which is five minutes from the Center. She said many of her clients live in Belmont.
Khesin said she’s looking forward to becoming an active business in town, participating in Belmont’s events and initiatives, including school fundraisers.
“We are excited to have Society Beauty Bar join our great mix of tenants,” Kevin Foley, manager of Locatelli Properties, wrote in a press release. “Laura is passionate and caring. With her style and attention to detail, Society Beauty Bar will be a great addition to our building and to Belmont Center.”
Khesin said her background is atypical for the industry. After her sophomore year at Suffolk University, she left “feeling very uninspired” about a potential career.
“I had always loved the idea of being a stylist and opted for hair school instead of college,” she recalled. “A decision, at that time, was met with some uncertainty.”
This was followed by two formative experiences working for five years in a salon in downtown Boston and then working for herself as an independent stylist for another five years in Brookline.
“I opened my first salon in Arlington, Ivy Hair Loft, in 2017,” Khesin said. “The model was an independent salon, meaning stylists would rent chairs and run their business under my roof with my mentorship and guidance if needed.”
She opened Society Beauty Bar in Arlington in 2022, taking “the best parts” of being an independent stylist into the traditional commission-based salon model.
“I understood the pros and cons of working for someone else as well as the pros and cons of working for myself as an independent stylist,” she said. “These two perspectives allowed me to create Society’s unique perspective. We grew quickly with stylists appreciating more freedoms, career autonomy, and a salon built on trust and desire to help the stylists grow.”
Making customers feel welcome and comfortable is a priority for Khesin and her team. They do in-depth consultations to gain a better understanding of their client’s hair and what they’re seeking. Before clients even step foot into the salon, they can complete new guest forms or use Society’s stylist-matching tool to be paired with a stylist specializing in what they’re looking for and what is a good personality fit. There is a strong emphasis on creating connection in a relaxing space – in the Belmont salon, the aim is “a palm beach feel…to [create] a feeling of being on a mini-vacation somewhere warm while getting your hair done.”
“We aim to create genuine connections,” Khesin said. “Our space will be beautiful and relaxing, with a palm beach feel. The design is enjoyable for me and helps to curate a feeling of being on a mini-vacation (somewhere warm) while getting your hair done.”
