Mooeys Winchester Has Turned One – And What a Year It’s Been!

Can you believe it’s been just over a year since we opened the doors to Mooeys Winchester? Honestly, it feels like both a blur and a lifetime, and what a ride it’s been.

This little salon in the heart of Winchester has been through a lot in its first year. It’s the first Mooeys based in a city and inside a shopping centre (yep, big move!) rather than a high street location, and that brought with it a whole set of new challenges. No one tells you just how different it’ll be, from aligning with the fixed opening hours of the centre, to the design restrictions and considerations… and let’s not even talk about the fit-out costs that almost doubled the budget with some little unseen ‘gems’ that cropped up. That one stung.

And then there are the everyday surprises no one warns you about when you open a salon. Like the mysterious drip that decided to come straight through our ceiling (because of course it couldn’t politely stay outside). Or the broken toilet seat that picked the busiest week to give up on us. Or the endless game of salon Tetris with all our stock and supplies—until we admitted defeat and had a cupboard built to house our Christmas decorations plus a few other items. Yes, really. Sparkle needs storage too.

During Storm Darragh, we even had a moment where the door kept flying open and we half-convinced ourselves we’d acquired a ghostly visitor. Spoiler: no spirits, just British weather doing its thing.

But as always, Katie – our absolute legend of a franchise owner – handled it like a total boss. She’s gone from managing IT teams and projects to managing a beauty team, a space, a community… and she’s done it all with passion, resilience, and some serious grit.

Now, shopping centre life definitely has its perks too. We’ve felt a real sense of community within The Brooks, and we’ve had the most amazing support from centre management. They genuinely want us to succeed and they’ve proved it, helping us with signage, banners, and even that giant board outside the salon (you’ve seen it, right?! Anyone sat at the traffic lights really can’t miss us now). Honestly, we couldn’t be more grateful.

Of course, it hasn’t all been leaky ceilings and spooky doors. We’ve also had some incredible highlights this year—like joining the Brooks Shopping Centre sponsored charity fashion show (turns out, glitter and good brows go with any outfit). We also got to help out with the Giant inflatable snow-globe which was part of the Christmas lights switch on and was raising money for some local worthy charities. And we’ve loved giving back locally too, supporting West Gate School and Harestock Primary with raffle prizes. It means so much to be part of our community in ways that go beyond beauty.

Setting up a new business isn’t easy! Anyone who’s done it will tell you that. Staff changes are inevitable in the first year, and while most new salons might lose half their team, we’ve only had two team members move on. That’s a big win in our books, and such a credit to the environment Katie’s built. She just gets what Mooeys is about—and she’s created a space that reflects that beautifully.

Now, let’s talk about the tech. You’d think in 2025, in a city centre, that getting Wi-Fi wouldn’t be an issue… but here we are, running on 4G. Yep, the whole salon! Anyone local will know the pain of trying to get a good connection in the city centre, for us, it’s one of those behind-the-scenes hiccups no one warns you about. But Katie’s just cracked on, she’s solved problems as they’ve come up, found workarounds and kept the business moving. She never lets anything slow her down.

One of the boldest (and most exciting!) moments of the year was taking Mooeys to CarFest. Now, not many new businesses would take a risk like that in their first year, because let’s be honest, it was a big investment. But Katie had a vision: to get the Mooeys brand out there, connect with a whole new audience, and bring a bit of salon sparkle to the festival fields. And that’s exactly what we did!

We met hundreds of incredible festival goers, introduced Mooeys to people who had never heard of us before, as well as seeing some familiar faces who came to find us in a field rather than in salon. We truly put ourselves out there. It might not have been the financial win this time around, but in terms of brand awareness, confidence, and community – it was absolutely worth it. We had a cracking time, and more importantly, we learned so much.

Katie’s already taking those learnings and planning how we do it even better next year. Because that’s who she is… fearless, forward-thinking, and always up for a challenge. The glitter ball, spinning constantly and always shining bright.

She’s also just joined the Help to Grow: Management development course with Winchester University (clever cookie!), taking the time to build her business and leadership skills while still running the show day-to-day. It’s just another example of how she’s always pushing herself and her business forward.

But honestly, what makes Mooeys Winchester really special isn’t just the treatments (though you know we do the best nails in Winchester – and the only ones using The Gel Bottle, and don’t get me started ‘waxing lyrical‘ about our hot wax or lashes, and brows). It’s the energy of the place. It’s the welcome. It’s the care.

Katie launched Mooeys Monday Mum-days – a space just for mums and mums-to-be, where you can rock up with your baby and not worry for a second if they cry or need changing mid-treatment. It’s these thoughtful touches that make Mooeys Winchester so much more than a beauty salon. It’s a place where you can just be. Where you’re seen. Where you’re looked after.

Katie’s heart is in this salon. As a mum herself, and a long-time Mooeys client before becoming a franchisee – she gets it. She knows what it feels like to need a moment of calm, a little pampering, or even just a chat while getting your cuticles pushed back. That understanding runs through every part of the business.

And as she steps more into her leadership role, building her team and growing the business, it’s clear she’s laying the foundation for something really special here. The standards are high, the care is real, and the clients already coming back again and again. Proof that Mooeys Winchester is here to stay.

So, cheers to year one. To the highs, the hurdles, the glitter and the grit. And to Katie—who’s done what so many dream of, and done it with passion, strength, and a brilliant sense of humour.

We’re so excited to see what year two brings. If you haven’t popped in yet, this is your sign. Whether you’re after beauty in Winchester, gorgeous nails, expert waxing, or flawless lashes and brows—come and see what Katie and the Mooeys Winchester team have built. We promise you’ll feel right at home.