STREET SAVVY: 600 E. Carmel Drive

Beauty—and lots of it—flourishes inside an enchanting office building.
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 [1] Opening Statement

Yeager Properties renovated Carmel Office Suites with its signature whimsy in 2010, decorating the quirky lobby with red flocked wallpaper and columns of stacked books. The design hints at the building’s unexpected niche as a hotbed of makeover services. “It’s really a hidden treasure,” says Debbie Mikulla, one of 26 hairstylists on site. “Most office buildings don’t want the beauty industry. They don’t want the traffic, the odors, the noise, or the plumbing.”

[2] A New ‘Do >>

If you covet a different coif, Shar’s Hair Wig Boutique stocks top brands (Beverly Johnson, for example) and an assortment of types (lace-front, half-wigs, human and synthetics). Suite 168, 888-617-8505, sharshair.com.

<< [3] One-of-a-Kind Wardrobes

Berney Martin’s fashion label, Catou, bridges edgy and elegant in collections of office and cocktail attire for men and women. Martin has become one of the faces of Indy’s budding fashion scene as the founder of Midwest Fashion Week. Suite 245, 408-9186, catouwear.com.

[4] Lady Pluck

Too much hair? No problem. Too little? Also not an issue. At Rogue Lash, licensed esthetician Kate Shaughnessy offers bikini waxing, lash and brow tints, and Xtreme eyelash extensions (she’s advanced-certified in the latter). Suite 231, 507-4774, roguelash.com.

[5] A Man’s World

With 12 years of experience in men’s grooming, Jaime McManus of Urban Edge gets the masculine vibe, outfitting her space with virile gray walls and dark woods. On the menu: $30 haircuts, color camouflage, mustache and beard trims, brow waxes, and scalp treatments. Suite 201, 441-0229, urbanedge201.com.

[6] Closet Case >>

Four times a year, the hair salon and jewelry shop Debbie Mikulla Studio turns into a boutique for Doncaster, a clothing line sold exclusively through private reps (sizes 2 to 24, $100 to $500). Suite 208, 569-5370.

<< [7] Best Buys

In the mood to shop? Method Salon, a hair-and-nail studio, carries on-trend handbags, no-snag ponytail holders, and locally made fragrances. Suite 239, 819-8343, methodsalon.com.

 

 

 

 

Photos by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the July 2012 issue.