What began in one room on Aikmans Road has evolved into an award-winning, large beauty clinic that now occupies the entire upstairs floor of the Hawkesbury Building.
Founder Nicola Quinn and current Owner/Managing Director Chaniele Erasmuson reflect on the success of this Merivale icon, now celebrating 30 years of making people feel confident.
With a passion for beauty, Nicky was just 23 when she formed Nicola Quinn Beauty & Day Spa. Then in the mid-2000s, Chaniele came onboard as a therapist and flourished alongside Nicky.
“Working with Nicky and the talented team of therapists really built my passion for the beauty industry and gave me a great foundation in my career,” Chaniele says.
After her time at Nicola Quinn, Chaniele gathered experience overseas, which led her into spa management and director roles at Hilton Hotel, Golden Door and Shangri-La Hotel Sydney.
Nicky was running two businesses and bringing up four children and realised in 2019 that it was all a bit much. She reached out to Chaniele to see if she was interested in purchasing the spa.
“I couldn’t think of anyone better than Chaniele,” Nicky says.
Chaniele returned to New Zealand and purchased the spa in 2019, passionate about continuing a well-earned legacy with excitement for the future.
“In 2022, we want to imagine what the next 30 years of skin health and confidence look like and set the tone for the beauty industry both now and for the years ahead. That means new technology, more product innovation and new heights of luxury indulgence in spa treatments. Most importantly, we want to continue to excite and empower our clients, helping them to feel confident.”
Reflecting on the experience of the past decades, the two laugh and simply say it has been “a rollercoaster”. With a fire that nearly burnt the clinic to the ground, earthquakes, burst pipes, flooding, and Covid-19, they’ve adapted and grown stronger as a business.
When asked what led the business on the road to success over the last three decades, Nicky mentions a community of strong women, in particular, a mentor that happened to be one of her biggest fans.
“Margaret Quinn, the creator of her own distinguished fashion business, inspired and taught me to work hard, understand the importance of getting the details right, and giving women what they really wanted in an experiential shopping environment.”
“A lot of the success is down to the strong relationships we have built with our clients. It was so lovely to purchase the business and see clients that I saw 20 odd years ago, still visiting for their regular appointments,” Chaniele says.
Both agree that being in the beauty industry is being in the business of people. While delighting clients with wonderful experiences has never changed over 30 years, the products and treatments between then and now are barely recognisable.
Everything has become more advanced, technical and results-driven. What started out as ‘hope in a jar’ has now turned into life-changing outcomes for clients. Chaniele adds, “it’s truly wonderful to give our clients so much more than just a treatment – a fantastic experience”.
Having taken over the reins in 2019, Chaniele is passionate about the future. “We want to continue to excite and empower our clients, helping them to feel confident.”
Thank you to all our wonderful clients who have supported Nicola Quinn Beauty & Day spa over the past 30 years – we look forward to treating you to a fabulous spa experience soon x
Dressed by Taylor Boutique.
Make Up by Renee Hay.
