LITCHFIELD -- Dawn Blom and her sister Debbie Barrigas, owner-proprietors of Dawn's Pizzazz salon and day spa, in Danbury, have brought their talents to 18 Commons Road, Litchfield, where they opened DPZ North April 22.
The new 1,100-square-foot hair salon will offer all facets of hair care, including extensions, smoothing, highlights, cutting, coloring, permanents, and bridal party makeup, according to Barrigas, who is the facility manager.
The grand opening Sunday, April 22 offered an encouraging start, Barrigas said.
"We offered a half-off special that day," she said. "It was so busy, you couldn't walk in the door. If Sunday is any indication, we're going to do fine here."
The sisters, who both live in Thomaston, wanted to open a salon in the Litchfield-Thomaston area, Blom said.
"We had a potential deal for a location in Thomaston, but it fell through twice," she said. "So when the location in Litchfield became available, we went for it."
Dawn's Pizzazz has been in business for 26 years, and boasts a customer database of almost 5,000 clients, according to Barrigas.
It has earned awards including being honored by Salon Today magazine seven times as a Top 200 salon in the U.S.
Global Salon Business, a trade group, honored Dawn's Pizzazz with an award for Entrepreneurial Excellence in Client Philosophy at a ceremony in London, England.
DPZ North will include a staff of 10 employees, and will bring an emphasis on fundraising to Litchfield that is a tradition at Dawn's Pizzazz.
"Fundraising is a part of our culture," Blom said. "It's really important to give back to your community, and I feel like we've been put in a position to touch many people's lives. We'd be doing an injustice if we didn't help our community."
Dawn's Pizzazz will celebrate its anniversary in June, she said.
"For the whole month of June, we encourage our clients to bring in a non-perishable food item, to either location, when they have a service done," Blom said.
Dawn's Pizzazz will host its annual golf tournament Aug. 20 in Danbury's Richter Park, to benefit 8-year-old Francesco Cipollone, of New Fairfield, who suffers from a rare brain disease, Blom said.
"Each year we try to find a family or a child who have a need and are struggling," she said. "Last year the golf tournament raised $18,000."
A fashion show held last June, for Dawn's Pizzazz' 25th anniversary, raised $64,000, for the Healing Hearts bereavement center of the Regional Hospice Home Care Center of Western Connecticut, based in Danbury. Every year, part of the proceeds of the golf tournament goes to Healing Hearts.
"Every Christmas we collect gifts for kids who are in need and are not getting adequate help," she said.
For more information, call 860-567-3111 or visit www.thedpz.com.