Dec. 10, 2021

After years of owning salons, Angi Britton set out to create the “perfect salon suite setup.”

It resulted in two locations: Luxury Salon Suites, which opened in March 2020 at 2005 W. 42nd St., and D’Lux Suites, which opened this fall at 4610 S. Technopolis Drive.

“Over the years, I would think about the perfect salon suite setup,” said Britton, who graduated from cosmetology school in 1995 and had owned five salons in Iowa and South Dakota before opening Luxury Salon Suites.

“When I married my husband in 2017, he encouraged me to pursue my dream. When we would go on vacations, we would rent a car and look to see what other salon suites were around that area.”

It came together in 2019, when her husband, Brad, also was looking for space for a chiropractic clinic and she found what became the location for Luxury Salon Suites – a former dental office that they completely remodeled and modernized into 10 suites. It’s currently full.

“We realized how important it was to show our pride in Sioux Falls and South Dakota. With that in mind, we added an amazing mural on the west side of the building,” Britton said. “It’s fun to see people pull up and take selfies in front of the mural.”

With D’Lux, Britton has five times the space to offer and decided to expand the concept to include many kinds of professionals in service industries.

“We truly worked at becoming a more well-rounded facility that professionals outside of strictly the beauty industry could feel comfortable,” Britton said. “We know that not only will cosmetologists, aestheticians and other medi-spa service professionals desire that type of location, but we are also confident individuals like chiropractors, therapists and other professionals can find a home in D’Lux Suites.”

There are 23 suites, with an initial yearlong lease required followed by a week-to-week model.

“D’Lux Suites has larger rooms, huge windows in the vast majority of the suites, larger walk-in closets/dispensaries in every suite, upgraded equipment in the rooms, added sound dampening and insulation, secured after-hours door/intercom system, flooring with added cushion in the suites, smart-locks on all suite doors, community laundry and break room, 10-foot ceilings, and, of course, we had to add a mural,” Britton said.

“We actually have two murals added. On the front is a colorful buffalo that’s going to look great once our landscape is finalized in the spring, and in the lounge area inside, we have a huge mural spanning the entire space floor-to-ceiling of Mount Rushmore.”

“I am passionate about supporting entrepreneurs,” Britton said. “It’s important for me to see others succeed, and I enjoy working behind the scenes to help where I can.”

The salon suite model puts an emphasis on team building and providing tools for success, she added. Vacation weeks are free, and there are other incentives and education offered.

“We are firm believers that not a single one of us is in competition with the next professional,” Britton said. “We all have different services, personalities, experiences and approaches to our work. We are all here to work together and support one another, building each other up and cheering each other on.”

Suites can be painted and designed to reflect tenants’ personalities, she said.

“I believe the greatest appeal the salon suite model has is providing a sense of pride in owning your own business, making it your own and maximizing your income without the risk or investment of owning your own building. With this model, you have a working supportive community and camaraderie while still being able to maintain individuality.”