Boyertown PA
12-23-2022 4:45am

Michelle Cimino Opens Breezeway 1900: Where Beauty and Joy Combine

by Jane Stahl

Everybody Wants to Get Beautiful! Michelle’s Hair Salon meets that goal; in her new gift boutique Breezeway 1900, everybody can find something beautiful to gift themselves...or others.

While Michelle Cimino says she thought about becoming a photographer, it wasn't until a Job Fair she attended in high school that she found her life's passion.  And it took only one day at Beauty School that she attended on a whim with a best friend to realize, “Well, I like this!”

She tried several salons in the early years and admits that her mentor Robert Derr inspired and taught her the most. “He was tough,” she shares, “but funny and soft. I was amazed at the way his scissors moved. He analyzed his cuts and showed me how to do that."

She’s been “at it” ever since; and after over 20 years, she and her 4 stylists continue to enjoy helping her customers “get beautiful!”

“It’s about the relationships,” Michelle explains. “It’s where the fun is. Our customers are loyal; they come and stay. We’ve been there for their babies, graduations, weddings, and hard times—especially the hard times when the urge to ‘do something different’ is often what they say they want.

“And we’ll do whatever our clients ask, but maybe over several appointments. We want what is best for them, and we sometimes nurture them through life transitions to make sure they’re ready for a big change,” she adds.

Smaller changes in what customers want occur regularly each season. In spring, customers want lighter colors, carefree styles, and less product. In fall, there’s a calmness that customers are seeking with warm, rich, Tuscany tones in hair color. During the holiday season, it’s like a storm; everybody’s in a hurry, and the ladies want something different in their hair color.

Breezeway 1900
Michelle’s own change recently has been transforming what had been a space for nail treatments, massage, tanning, and skin care over the years into a unique gift boutique she named Breezeway 1900. “I researched the history of the building and learned that, to the best of my knowledge, it was built in early 1900,” she offers.

“I always wanted to run a boutique so that folks could find something for themselves that brought them joy.” Inventory includes fashion jewelry, headbands, hand bags, and home décor items. Vendors of the merchandise are those she has met during her trips 4-5 times a year to New York City and a few she’s researched on-line. “Every trip I'd bring home a suitcase of jewelry from Jewelry Row or handbags I’d find from wholesalers I grew to know.”

At Breezeway 1900, during the holidays, there is Sangria tasting and items for hostess-type gifts and gift cards, therapy products like shower bursts, and Simply Savory products like vegan pretzels. "After getting a fancy 'do for a party, it will be easy to pick up a gift before you're out the door for the party hostess. Convenience at this time of year is a bonus for everyone," she adds. 


Artisan Balsamic Vinegar
But the most unique item found exclusively at Breezeway 1900 is a collection of artisan balsamic vinegars. “During a visit to Sedona, we found this unique shop—a kind of hippy home—a store of flavors where you could enjoy a tasting of different Balsamic vinegars. We loved trying different flavors like honey mango, raspberry, or a garlic-flavored one.

Returning to Pennsylvania we learned that the closest opportunity to purchase Balsamic vinegars was Jim Thorpe or Lancaster, so we decided Breezeway 1900 would be our home location,” she concluded.

“The boutique is my gig and its own entity,” Michelle shares. “A new project is fun and exciting, and I love offering beauty and good taste (ed: pun intended) to my valued customers."

Find a conversation with Michelle on the "B Inspired" podcast...available for listening today on your favorite podcast platform.

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