The Brookside Hotel was built in the 1800's bringing a hotel to Darwen.
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The owners of The Brookside Hotel now had the addition of a pub downstairs and hotel rooms upstairs.
Fifty years later, a stylish coat of paint highlighted the beautiful masonry of the building.
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In 1988 The Brookside was a busy pub with accommodation upstairs for the landlords.
In 2008, the curtains fell on a longstanding local pub, leaving behind memories and a structure that had seen better days. Two years later, in 2010, our family saw not just a building, but a beacon of potential. Thus began our journey to breathe new life into this piece of Darwen's history.
The story of The Brookside Beauty Salon began when Stephanie opened Stephanie’s Nails & Beauty at 18 years old. Renting a single beauty room above a local hair salon. With a clear vision and a strong work ethic, she quickly built a loyal client base, laying the foundations for what would become a trusted and long-standing beauty business.
Stephanie continued to invest in her skills and development, expanding her expertise by training as a hairdresser. This commitment to learning and progression allowed Steph's business to broaden its services.
6 Months later, Steph's dad purchased an old pub with the vision to turn it into a salon for my business to grow. The first step was a six-month renovation, a challenging yet rewarding endeavour. We stripped the walls back to their bare bricks.
They demolished the back half of the pub, only to meticulously reconstruct it using the original stone salvaged from the demolition. This not only preserved the building's character but also honoured its historical significance.
The entire building was re-roofed, ensuring structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. they didn't stop there – the building underwent a full electrical rewire and a complete overhaul of the heating system, including a new boiler, radiators, and plumbing. This transformation was not just about beauty; it was about creating a space that was safe, functional, and efficient.
Our journey was not without its challenges.
During the creation of a luxury 2-bedroom flat above, as we removed the old wallpaper, an entire ceiling beam came down. This incident led to the installation of new beams, complementing the new roof and ensuring the building's safety for years to come.
We transformed the back half of the building into two modern bedroom flats. The remaining space evolved into a luxurious hair, barbering, beauty, and aesthetics salon, which has been serving the community with pride since August 2010.
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Stephanie’s work gained regional recognition, with the business being named among the Top 3 Wedding Hairdressers in the North West for three consecutive years, further cementing its reputation for excellence.
Alongside running the business, Stephanie dedicated two years to studying at university while raising two young children, achieving her qualification as a teacher. This period strengthened her leadership, communication and training skills, which continue to shape the way the salon supports both clients and staff today.
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Continuing her passion for advanced beauty, Stephanie trained as a semi-permanent makeup artist, specialising in eyebrow tattoos. This marked a key turning point for the business, allowing the salon to introduce high-demand, results-driven treatments and begin shaping its vision to become a go-to destination for natural-looking brows.
Stephanie and her husband went on to open a marketing business together, where Stephanie learned the ins and outs of marketing, strategy, and business growth.
This shift marked a major turning point for the salon, allowing her to step away from being the main service provider and focus on leading, developing, and marketing the business.
By working on the salon rather than in it, Stephanie was able to accelerate its growth, strengthen systems, and position The Brookside Beauty Salon for long-term success.
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The salon’s continued commitment to quality and excellence was recognised with Best in Class 2025, awarded by Fresha to the top 20 percent of salons worldwide. In the same period, The Brookside Beauty Salon was also named among the Top 10 Beauty Salons in Lancashire by Lancashire Telegraph, reinforcing its reputation as one of the region’s leading salons.
This project was more than a business venture; it was our commitment to preserving one of Darwen’s cherished buildings and ensuring its strength for future generations. We aspire to keep growing the team, business and have very exciting plans for future!
Welcome to our legacy.
We have a fabulous hair and beauty team, with our 80 years of experience between us! Always learning new skills to ensure that we are at the top of game in all the services that we offer in salon.
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