MADISON — While Terramé Salon & Blow Dry Bar customers in Madison have been enjoying their luxurious pampering for over a year, the ribbon-cutting and official grand opening for the salon and retail partners Lux Brū Cafe, Refuge Home Interiors, and R City Eye Care was finally held following a yearlong pandemic-related delay.
The Madison Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Paul Finley celebrated the long-awaited grand opening of the two-story development with a block party recently.
An enthusiastic entourage enjoyed champagne and heavy hors d’oeuvres as they toured the 25-station salon; shampoo stations with scalp massage; an eight-seat blow dry bar; a six-seat barbering station with full shaves and haircuts available; and an almost department store selection of retail products including a makeup and skincare department, designer handbag collection, custom-made jewelry and gifts, and an overstock of hair care products on the first floor.
Upstairs is the day spa with its massage, facials, manicure and pedicure, waxing, professional make-up services, body treatments and a 256-water jet hydrotherapy tub.
Michelle Epling, executive director of the Madison Chamber, opened the ceremonies.
“Welcome to another historic day in the city of Madison as we celebrate our first ever quadruple ribbon-cutting today,” she said. “It has been 20 years since Terramé opened their first location in South Huntsville and I remember all I wanted for a high school graduation present was a day with my mom at Terramé’s spa.
“I have never forgotten the importance of self-care since then.”
Terramé owner Mike Johnson spoke on behalf of his wife Charla and his brothers who started the original business which has since grown to three locations in Jones Valley, MidTown and Madison.
“I cannot express how much this fills our heart with joy and love,” Johnson said. “It’s relationships with our friends that make a difference.”
He teased Finley.
“I have known Mayor Finley many years and we bought the land and broke ground two weeks before COVID hit and shut us down,” Johnson said. “I will never forget Paul saying, ‘Oh you will be fine, just fine’, and he just kept talking about what we could do here as if the pandemic didn’t matter.
“We never thought we would reach this level of three locations and a retail center, but it has been an amazing ride and we hope we make your lives a little bit better in the process.”
Finley remembered the first time he told the Johnsons they needed to open a Terramé in Madison.
“That was 20 years ago when I came in to have my hair cut – back when I actually had hair to cut,” Finley said as the audience laughed. “Team Johnson is one of the most quality families I have ever met, and they turned Terramé into the epitome of quality selfcare.
“It’s a joy to have you here and no matter which way you look, east, south, north, west and central, Madison continues to grow as a community and to do really great things – yes, it is two years later after the pandemic, but you are okay, and we are all okay and we will continue to be that way.”
The block party continued down to Lux Brū Café with its refined open-air atmosphere and second floor mezzanine and Refuge Home Interiors next door, also with a second-floor mezzanine filled with even more gifts and home décor.
Owner Kim Aaron thanked her designer, Britt Silcox who she said helped bring her vision to life for both stores.
“I wanted to create a lovely boutique where people would not only find treasures galore, but also meet a team who is there to encourage, bless and even pray for customer needs,” she said.
The party ended up at R City Eye Care where Huntsville optometrists Dr. Rica McRoy and business partner Dr. Alana Coker opened their second location to serve the Madison market.
“I’m excited for our residents to be able to leave their office, come to an eye appointment on their lunch break and be back in the office without having to block out two hours from your day because you have to drive somewhere else to an eye appointment,” said Epling. “Welcome to Madison. You are much needed, and people will be excited you are here.”
McRoy said their mission and reason for existing is to seek the welfare of the community.
“Our vehicle for delivering that welfare is eye care, and my hope is that all of us can see better,” McCoy said.
Finley reminded everyone that in the past, if you wanted or needed personal services in Madison, you had to go someplace else for those services.
“Now we have the ability to offer services here and you guys are bringing it to us,” Finley said. “Just a few days ago, my assistant Kim Lindsey brought me some papers to read and sign.
“I looked at them and asked, ‘Is there something wrong with the printer? Why is it so blurry?’
“She responded, ‘It’s not the printer, Mayor!’
“So, you guys are needed here in Madison!” Finley said.
“There is a lot of synergy between all three of our tenants, their products and services and their atmosphere with Terramé and it was important to us to get the right people in that space,” Mike Johnson said.
“You will never meet finer people.”
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