Deanne Lewis is the owner of Doll Face Hair and Beauty and a long term Sunbury resident. She spoke with Oliver Lees about her business and what she’s most looking forward to as restrictions are lifted across Victoria.
Q1. What is your connection to Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges?
My parents have lived in Sunbury for 38 years. I grew up in Sunbury and attended Goonawarra Primary School and Sunbury Secondary College. I started my hairdressing apprenticeship in Sunbury at Amy’s House of Hair in 1998 and moved on to work at other salons in Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges. My husband is from Gisborne, and we feel blessed to have raised our three children in Sunbury.
Q2. Do you have a favourite cafe/park/restaurant part of town?
My favourite thing about Sunbury is its atmosphere. It’s somewhere between country and city, and it feels like a holiday town. I love Sunbury’s grasslands, parklands especially the Emu Bottom wetlands. I love the spirit of events in Sunbury such as the Sunbury show, SunFest and the Carols by Candlelight on the Village Green. I am proud to be a resident of Sunbury and feel fortunate to have established my salon in a town that is so supportive of small businesses.
Q3. What motivated you to start Doll Face Hair and Beauty?
My motivation to start Doll Face Hair and Beauty was to have the ability to create my vision of offering a personal one-on-one experience for my clients in a calm environment where they would feel comfortable, important and heard. I also wanted to combine my beauty therapy qualifications with my colour specialisation to create a one-stop-shop for my clients’ hair and beauty needs.
Q4. Can you share a little about some of the challenges you business has faced during the pandemic?
Doll Face Hair and Beauty has closed its doors seven times due to lockdowns. The most difficult parts of the pandemic have been reduced income as well as social isolation from my extended family and friends. I am a very social person so the connection I would normally have with my loved ones and clients is a major part of my life.
Thankfully, there has been a silver lining with lockdowns for me and it’s that it has given me time to upgrade my qualifications and complete my Diploma of Beauty Therapy. I have also been able to assist my daughter in her hairdressing training and help her gain more skills as she completes her qualifications.
Q5. What are you most looking forward to as restrictions ease?
I am most looking forward to being able to reconnect with my clients and hearing about what they’ve all been up to over the past few months. It will be nice to have a good chat and laugh with them all after so long. I am also very excited to be able to see my family and friends again, some of whom I haven’t seen since January 2020.
As restrictions ease, I am looking forward to expanding Doll Face Hair and Beauty and introducing beauty services. Bring on 2022!
