After having my temperature checked and my hands sanitized, I sat with Denise Garnot and we chatted through a plexiglass partition, all part of the new normal at Hairstyles Unlimited & Tanning. What was out of the ordinary in that setting was a life-sized carving of St. Nicholas. Denise smiled broadly and explained, “We had ten weeks off. We had to take everything down, scrub the walls and put all the decorations in storage. But Christmas is a sign of hope and I feel like we could all use a little hope right now.”
For 27 years Denise’s salon has been a Chazy staple. When she first clutched her cosmetology license in her hand at 19 years old she was hired by the exclusive distributor of Paul Mitchell salon products. “It gave me the opportunity to go into salons from here to Watertown and down to Glens Falls,” she explained. “It was a huge territory and I loved it!”
Denise never lacked energy and, as a fresh face in the industry, she learned quickly the most effective way to approach salon owners was to ask humbly and candidly, “How can I help grow your business?” Intuitively, Denise knew that positioning herself as a consultant would be a great way to meet owners’ product needs and, when their business did well, she did well.
While Denise loved her work on the road, once she and her husband, Peter, started their family priorities shifted and she wanted to spend more time at home. That is when Hairstyles Unlimited & Tanning came to be. Denise brought all the energy and desire to make people successful to her own salon, her employees and her clientele. For a small-town salon, it offers a number of big city services which leave clients looked after from head to toe. “I love what I do, I love my business,” she emphasized. Denise’s truly wants to help the people she encounters achieve their goals, whether they be clients or co-workers. “I think it’s important for hair designers to have goals, be they personal or professional and if I can help you attain your goals, we all rise,” she explained.
THE HAIRSTYLES UNLIMITED & TANNING TEAM IS MADE UP OF OWNER DENISE GARNOT, HER HUSBAND AND BOOKKEEPER PETER, AND STYLISTS PAIGE GARNOT, STEPHANIE LECLAIR, ASHLEY ERO AND MICHELLE GRAVELLE.
Hairstyles Unlimited has a reputation of going over the top for every holiday. The team of stylists and family have even gone caroling through the streets of Chazy, costumes and all. But Denise’s favorite holiday is Halloween when she and her team collaborate to turn the salon into a huge haunted house with the help of approximately sixty volunteers. “We’ve had a ‘Witches Dance’ on the porch that was a real hoot! People loved it and so did we,” she offered. “It was so much fun, and all the proceeds went to JCEO.”
Two years ago Denise was approached by the Rainbow Banquet Hall in Altona. Brannoin Sample wanted to offer the facility and to participate in the Halloween production. It seems his Mom, Jane, and Denise shared a love of All Hallow’s Eve. Denise didn’t hesitate and went straight to work to produce what was no ordinary event. Jane Sample had been diagnosed with cancer and the community came together to support one of its own. As Denise shared what she was doing for the holiday, people wanted to be involved. She even cajoled Jane into wearing a witch’s costume and much laughter was shared by all.
Last year the event took place in Jane’s memory with proceeds going to the Jane Fight Fund. Unfortunately, in the time of COVID., the event will not be held this year. Although if there is a way to make it happen; Denise will find it and it will surely rival any Hollywood production.
Hairstyles Unlimited
9654 State Route 9
Chazy, NY 12921
518 846-7795
Jane’s Fight Fund was established in 2019 by the Sample family in honor of Jane Sample who was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer in November of 2016. The Fund is used to ease financial burdens and/or lift the spirits of families in need. The families are to use this gift as they see fit.