Big changes are taking place for Blown Away Salon, as owner Michelle Green merges the Hayes and Yorktown salon locations, expanding into a larger space in the Shops at Tidemill in Hayes. The space will also be home to Green’s newest addition, Blown Away Salon Academy, which opened in March of this year.
The new location does not yet have a set opening date, but with construction already underway, Green said she hopes to be up and running by early summer.
“This space is more than a salon,” Green said. “It’s a place for growth, for mentorship, for creativity—and for dreams to be realized. I can’t wait to open the doors and welcome in the next generation of talent.”
The first Blown Away Salon opened in August 2011, before relocating to a larger space in the Hayes Stores Shopping Center in 2016. Four years after expanding, and only weeks before the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, Green opened her second location in the York Square Shopping Center.
Though she had to close her salons almost immediately after opening the Yorktown location, Green found a way to not only keep her business going, but growing, as well. Just two years later, in May 2022, she opened her third Blown Away Salon location in the WindsorMeade Marketplace in Williamsburg.
Now Green has opened her newest addition, the Blown Away Salon Academy. “After years of pouring my heart into the beauty industry, I’m beyond thrilled to announce a new chapter—not just for my business, but for my purpose,” she said. “We’ve officially moved into a brand-new salon space, and with it comes the launch of something I’ve always dreamed of: an academy.” For Green, teaching is a passion, and helping others build their own foundations for successful careers is something she’s found joy in.
While Blown Away Salon Academy covers the fundamentals of hair, skin and nails, it also offers business and career coaching to help set future stylists up for success. Once graduated, stylists will be eligible to be Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation licensed, said Green. In a Facebook post, the salon also highlighted the guarantee of job placement upon graduation.
Over the past decade, Blown Away Salon has offered apprenticeships, licensing several stylists during the time, Green recalled. However, she noted that they had encountered people unfamiliar with textured hair and other services that should be taught in cosmetology schools.
“That’s what prompted me to open the academy,” said Green, wanting stylists to have more knowledge, right out of school. She emphasized how important it is to her to be able to provide a hands-on learning experience and ensure stylists are knowledgeable on all hair types and textures, as well as different salon services. “They can decide what they want to specialize in after that,” she said.
Currently, there are three licensed cosmetologists instructing—Michelle Green, Yasmin Green and Michelle Danforth—and classes will be kept on the smaller side. “We are looking to keep the class sizes more intimate for a better learning experience. We are hoping to have 6 to 10 students at a time,” Green said.
Working behind the scenes on curriculum, as well as with students, is Academy Director, and instructor, Yasmin Green.
“Right now, Yasmin’s focus is on supporting our students through personalized coaching meetings and ensuring they’re progressing on their career path,” explained Michelle Green. “Behind the scenes, she’s developing a cosmetology curriculum that’s fully aligned with Summit Salon Systems—integrating the Level System, tracking key performance indicators like service tickets, rebooking, and retail, and teaching the business side of beauty early on.” She, General Manager and Admissions Director Afton Thayer, and Michelle Danforth will be helping to coach students.
Information on enrollment, currently for fall courses, can be found on the Blown Away Salon website, along with salon services and booking information.