According to history, salons first originated in France during the 18th century. They were hosted in the homes of prominent women, where common discussions of literature, political views, and general opinions were shared. Today, though salons can look slightly different than they once did, they’re still a place where people meet, talk, and go home feeling fabulous.
Welcome to Alicia Jewell’s Wild Poppy Salon! Jewell has enjoyed being a stylist in the Boulder area for 15 years, but the desire to work closer to home brought her to a salon in Nederland back in December. “As a Nederland local, it has felt like such a gift to be able to work in my own community and lose the commute down to Boulder every day.”
A few months later, the owner of the salon moved on to a new career. As luck would have it, and with good timing and passion, Jewell took over the lease and began her own salon. Having held several leadership roles, Jewell was prepared to go on this new venture. “When this opportunity presented itself, I felt ready to take it on. It has been a lot of fun creating a space that is my own.”
At Wild Poppy Salon, women can schedule a haircut, styling, and color services. Clients from the Nederland, Boulder, and even Carbondale areas can be seen at the salon. The cozy atmosphere of the salon, including the waiting area, creates an experience where clients can take a break from their day, physically and mentally.
Jewell shares, “I have had the opportunity to get to know the community and my clients here over the past few months. With this knowledge, I feel like I was able to create a space that really gives an environment where they can feel at home with me and relax during their appointment.”
With “great intention,” Jewell spent quite some time choosing items for the salon. The sustainable products in the salon come from a family-owned business that is a certified B corporation and the perfect fit for Wild Poppy Salon.
Aside from continuing her hair education, Jewell is looking forward to using her floral design background to provide floral design workshops at the salon in the future. She sees the salon becoming busier and more of a staple in the Nederland community.
Jewell took advantage of Covid and used the time to soul search, discovering what she was most passionate about, confessing, “I came out of the stay-at-home orders with a renewed love for my hairdressing career and excitement to get back in the salon with my clients again. It hit the reset button for me and I have come back into my career more excited about my craft than before.”
It’s obvious that Jewell loves the creative aspects of her job, as well as the relationships between herself and her clients. “Your hairdresser can become part of your inner circle and I don’t treat that lightly. It is such an honor to hold that place in people’s lives. There is always something new to learn and I feel fortunate that I have a clientele who enjoys my creativity.”
Things transpired unexpectedly and very quickly. Jewell expresses a humbling and high level of gratitude for her salon and the feedback she has received from clients and the community. It’s true that sometimes doors open for you and you just walk through them. This was one of those situations for Jewell and she couldn’t be more thankful.
Great skill, good communication, a beautiful environment, and a feeling of trust and safety with your stylist are the sum of what you will find at Wild Poppy Salon. “I love every minute I spend at work and I am so incredibly lucky to be able to say that. I finally feel like I am right where I am supposed to be... in my own space taking care of people.”
The Wild Poppy Salon is located at 20 Lakeview Drive, Suite 211. Jewell can be reached via mail at PO Box 920, Nederland, CO 80466, or by phone at 720-790-1028. To learn more about Wild Poppy Salon visit: http://www.wildpoppysalon.com/, or find her on Instagram @wildpoppyhairsalon.
Sponsored by the town of Nederland, with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
