Meet the kick-ass business woman who sees huge potential in Queanbeyan’s main street
A little piece of luxury will hit Queanbeyan’s main street next month when new hair salon Hare and Fawn opens its doors.
Located in the old RJ’s, the salon is the vision of Canberra business owner Emmalene Mahar; a Batemans Bay girl who moved to Canberra in 2009 and today owns thriving businesses Eden Hair Energy and Canberra Hair Extensions in Dickson.
Emma has been “longing for that regional community vibe” for a while, she says (you can take the girl out of Batemans Bay … ) and researched Braidwood, Goulburn and Bungendore before settling on opening a new salon in Queanbeyan.
“I walked into the space on Monaro Street and just had this feeling that it was the one,” Emma says.
“I feel like there’s so much potential in Queanbeyan and I’m so excited to bring something new to the city. I can’t wait to get to know local people and work with some of the incredibly talented people there.”
While a number of retailers in the Queanbeyan CBD have closed their doors over the past six months (Sanity, Bean Central, Michel’s Patisserie, Rockmans), Emma has “complete faith” her salon will thrive on Monaro Street.
“There’s this incredible opportunity for Queanbeyan to become a destination for the region,” she says.
“There are big changes coming in the way people live, relax and spend time in the CBD, and I’m keen to be a part of that.”
Emma describes Hare and Fawn as a “beautiful space” incorporating a little bit of Southern Highlands “country luxe”. The salon is designed By Capezio Copeland and built by Jack McGlone of Braidwood’s McGlone Homes. It will feature a wooden gable ceiling, and white and brushed gold finishes.
“I want Hare and Fawn to be a little bit of luxury and pampering for our clients, and a beautiful space for our team to work in,” she says.
“I believe hairdressers are very aesthetic people and a gorgeous work space really gets the creative juices flowing.
“I’m loving the long narrow space that is typical of shops you often find on the main streets of older towns. The ceiling is a real feature for me, we actually gutted the whole salon and opened the ceiling right up, creating a beautiful open feeling.”
Cutting and colouring will be on offer at Hare and Fawn but those with (or who want) hair extensions can rejoice: the salon will offer a suite of hair extensions services including permanent extensions, keratin bonds, clip-ins and toppers.
“You can also expect the best head massage ever,” Emma says.
Hare and Fawn is due to open at the end of August.
Follow the salon on Instagram: @hareandfawn_qbn
A Q! News x Hare and Fawn article.
About the Author: Bree Element
Part bogan, part wannabe plus-size model and part journalist, Bree's the woman behind Q! News. She's a pop culture obsessive who's deeply in love with her hometown, Queanbeyan, and the neighbouring capital. A born storyteller, she's been writing locally, nationally and internationally for more than 25 years.
