Even if you’ve never been to Asbury Park, NJ, chances are you’ve heard of it—it’s where Bruce Springsteen got his start at one of the city’s quaint music venues. But, it’s also home to miles of beachfront, streets lined with sidewalk cafes and charming boutiques, and now, a storefront salon that fits so perfectly in the seaside town.
After working in New York City for over eight years, hairstylist Sally Monterrosa was eager to build something of her own, and Asbury Park held a special place in her and her husband’s lives—the two met there 15 years ago. “As a woman and a mother, I felt very strongly about creating fellowship and sisterhood among women of all walks of life,” she says. And so Boho Salon—an inviting, females-only space focused on empowering women from the inside out—came to life.
“We were on the third floor in a loft-style setting for two years. It was a hidden bungalow where people had to know of us to find us, but that didn’t hurt our business,” Monterrosa says. “We grew extremely fast thanks to referrals, social media and a team that had enough grit to work hard and enough grace to captivate every client that came in the doors.” By the end of the first year, Monterossa was ready to expand but was patiently waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. “When the first floor of our current building opened up, it just felt right. It’s wild how when something is meant for you, it will eventually find its way to you,” she says.
Just last month the newly expanded Boho Salon opened its doors. “Our space has always been a safe place that caters to all types of women,” Monterrosa says. “We wanted to create a salon where clients would feel comfortable breast feeding their babies, having girl talk conversations or simply networking with other women.” The storefront salon now offers all of that and more. “Our space is made to feel like home—from the Cashmere Plum candle scent that fills the air to the curated playlist that changes with the seasons.” There are also plants throughout the salon, a lively wallpaper decorated with banana leaves that gives a jungle feel, and an indoor wooden canopy. “I wanted it to feel like you’d closed your eyes and been transported somewhere else,” Monterrosa says.
Now that Boho Salon has enough space to grow, Monterrosa has her sights set on evolving the brand even further. “I don’t necessarily see Boho as a big salon—I like the boutique style that we have because it allows us to elevate and personalize the experience every time we see a client,” she says. “We do like the idea of opening multiple boutique salon locations, though.” Monterrosa and her team are already brainstorming second and third locations to accommodate the clients that travel upwards of an hour to visit Boho Salon. “On a personal level, my goal for today is to be more transparent and live out my mission as a woman, wife and working mother with every person I meet,” Monterrosa says. “The more I connect with women on a personal level, the more I get to understand what everyone needs, and that helps me better serve them.”