Our latest feature - Meet the Salon/Barbershop Owner - gives business owners and managers the chance to shine a spotlight on their salon and showcase some of their best work.

If you would like to appear in our Meet the Owner feature, you can fill in our Q&A here or email claire.pierce@newsquest.co.uk

Here, 36-year-old Amie Mitchell, talks about becoming her own boss and how clients are just as much friends at the salon...

ME Hairdressing in Shotton, Deeside.

Name and address of the business

ME Hairdressing

Chester Road West, Shotton, Deeside CH5 1BZ

ME Hairdressing owner Amie Mitchell.

How many staff do you have, and in what roles?

Nine in total: five hair stylists, one apprentice, one nail expert, one lash and beauty specialist, one aesthetics professional

When did you open?

October 2018

Inside ME Hairdressing salon.

Why did you decide to open your own business?

I always wanted to be a hairdresser from being a young child. I got my first job in Chester at 14 and worked my way through every level up to being a salon manager.

When I had my two daughters I started working as an assessor in Coleg Cambria. I then missed being in a salon and missed really spending time with my clients and the relationships you build with them.

The industry can be so fast paced these days, I wanted to create a space for people to truly relax and enjoy their quality ME time.

Hair by Sophie Quirk.

Have you always been at this location?

No, we relocated during the second lockdown. We had outgrown our first location on Fron Road in Connah's Quay, so we took on a huge project, at what was the old Job Centre in Shotton. It has been empty for a decade and needed everything doing.

I absolutely love the salon and we are always working to become a sustainable salon online with the products we use.

A natural and welcoming interior at ME Hairdressing.

Are you local to the area, did you grow up here?

I am a local girl from Shotton, and now live in Connah's quay.

Tell us a bit about your salon/barbershop

My salon is named "ME" for a few reasons but mainly after my daughters Mollie and Evie. They are the reason I wanted to create the salon and show them what hard work can do.

Also "ME" is because it's all about creating a space and team that gives you quality "ME" time, nothing is rushed. The salon decor is lots of natural exposed wood and greenery to work in line with out sustainable brands we use in the salon.

Hair by Rachel Jones.

What services do you provide?

All stylists specialise in colour, advanced cutting and styling, and we have a qualified barber.

Plus nail experts; lashes and brow specialist; and aesthetic nurse practitioner.

What is your hair/beauty background?

I started working in Denton and Hyde in Chester as a teenager and was lucky enough to work there as an apprentice when I left school.

I attended Andrew Collinge College in Liverpool. I worked as an apprentice, colour technician and worked through to a stylist.

I had a couple of salon jobs and then started working for another salon in Chester, where I became the manager and trained as a colour expert, trained the apprentices that came in.

I then had my eldest daughter and moved in to helping educate our future stylist in Coleg Cambria. I worked there a few years and after I had my youngest daughter, I realised I missed that salon and making people feel amazing and happy, and got the chance to open my first salon.

After two-and-a-half years we had out grown the salon and we moved to our new salon.

One of the team at ME Hairdressing, Phoebe Thomas.

Did the pandemic affect your business?

Yes, it was a scary time, especially to be closed for so long. But it also gave me time to plan the future of ME Hairdressing.

What could set you apart from your competitors?

From what our clients say they love the fact they feel at home, the relaxed atmosphere, the salon surroundings. Our wonderful clients love that they know everyone in the team and know that we are all amazing at what we do and we all have the same goal - to give them the best service and make them totally relaxed. I think everyone also likes our speciality coffee, teas, and the hot chocolate is to die for!

The coffee machine at ME Hairdressing is a client favourite.

Why do loyal customers return?

I think it comes down to our amazing clients feeling at home. I have always wanted to create the feeling that you can pop in anytime for coffee, which people do. Also they go out with amazing hair, nails, lashes etc.

What's next for you and the salon?

I have always really taken my time to find the right people in my team which has worked amazing, we are genuinely all best friends and all the specialists in what we do. I would love to add more people to our team.

What are your opening hours?

Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am-6pm, Wednesday 9.30am-7pm, Friday 9.30am-8pm, Saturday 9am-3pm.