My Brow Expert Darlington opens Barnard Castle salon
Jo Coates will this year celebrate five years of My Brow Expert – and to mark the anniversary, she launched a brand new salon on Horse Market in Barnard Castle yesterday (Thursday, January 8).
After starting off in a small studio space on Coniscliffe Road, Darlington, in 2021, the 42-year-old made the move to Grange Road in 2024 and late last year made the decision to expand across the county.
Now, founder Jo is hoping the new space can welcome old and new clients alike as she sets her sights on a chain of salons in the future.
She told The Northern Echo: “We’ve gone from having just two members of staff in Darlington to being a group of seven, so we have grown a lot.
“This year just felt like the right time to expand and try to grow the brand. I’m very keen to keep it as a growing brand, so we may look to open another location this year.
“I have always had it in my mind that we would grow and have multiple salons, so to be in that process is really exciting.”
The Harrogate native closed in on the new Barnard Castle unit in November, and work has been ongoing since then to get it up and running to welcome customers.
She added: “The unit is lovely, it was ready for us to just come in and put our stamp on it. We have put a whole new floor in and have created treatment rooms.
“We also have two accessible treatment rooms, and have new lighting, furniture and more with our branding on.”
Jo, who used to be the national trainer for Benefit Cosmetics, said the team has received a surge of support for the new salon.
“It feels absolutely amazing. As a business owner, if you know your numbers and have a plan, then you can be cautiously optimistic that it will work.
“My hope is that we have built a business model people like and that it will be the same as we grow.
“Clients have been so excited about the expansion and other businesses in the town have wished us the best of luck. It’s nice to have that support.
As for the future, new salons may be on the cards for My Brow Expert, but will depend on the success of current locations.
Jo added: “I have to make sure the Barnard Castle salon is solid and functioning before I look at opening another one.
“We might expand a little bit further and go back to my home town Harrogate, as well.
“But, it doesn’t hurt to be on the look out. You never know, we might find another perfect place again.”