Astique’ Nail Spa is a brand new nail and hair salon located southeast of Speedway Boulevard and Warren Avenue.
Deena Katterman, one of four co-owners, said the goal of Astique’ is to provide a high-end salon experience for an affordable price. She said the salon welcomes everyone, and so far has a growing University of Arizona student clientele.
Prices range from $18 to $50 for nail services, with different packages for customers to choose from.
Katterman said that time factors into what service a customer should get. The “Back to Work” package is said to be the fastest of the three packages, while the “Vacation” is the longest and most relaxing.
Hair services range from $15 to $100. The salon offers haircuts, hair color and hair treatments. Co-owner Molly Dudley-Horrocks has worked as a cosmetologist for over 19 years. She is Astique’s master-stylist, and said she has been responsible for training all of the technicians at the salon.
Astique’ currently has eight nail technicians on hand and are looking to hire 13 to 15 more.
Astique’ also provides makeup application for all kinds of events ranging in price from $45 to $65.
The shop space was purchased this summer, with the goal being to spend three weeks on maintenance and renovations in order to open the doors for sorority and fraternity rush week at the UA; things did not unfold as originally planned.
“There was a lot of deferred maintenance that we didn’t expect,” said Lee Katterman, husband to Deena and fellow co-owner.
The salon had its grand opening last week, and Deena said business has been steady.
“It is important we are providing top customer service to everyone who walks through the door,” Deena said.
She told of her initial career in the restaurant industry, followed by 17 years as a real estate agent in Tucson. Deena said that she felt “burnt out” and wanted a change in her life.
“This salon didn’t start out as a passion,” Deena said. “But now it is.”
Lee has worked as a contractor in Tucson for the last 14 years and was responsible for all renovations in the salon.
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The cost for renovations and décor totaled approximately $100,000. From the custom benches to the “boozhee” chandeliers, Lee said he put in a lot of time to make sure the salon looked perfect.
The Kattermans have seven children ranging from 3 to 23 years old.
“We are definitely a kid-friendly salon,” Deena said.
Fellow co-owner Thomas Valenzuela said he has worked as a chef for the past eight years at the Delta Gamma sorority house.
Valenzuela said he refers to himself as the “house dad” and had the idea to open up a nail salon near campus.
He said the girls at the sorority house were the inspiration behind his idea. He said that they would come to him and complain about bad nail jobs and lack of customer service at other nail salons in town. Valenzuela said he wanted to cater a business for them.
Valenzuela is responsible for coming up with the salon’s name Astique,’ which is a French word for “polished.”
Deena said there are a lot of things that make Astique’ different from other salons in town, and that it was her idea to have outlets at all of the chairs in the salon and even provide chargers for clients to use.
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Astique’ also has a geo-tag and Snapchat filter customers can use when they are in the salon.
Dudley-Horrocks said that they are also working on a table service app to text clients when their appointments are ready.
“That way clients can go grab a bite to eat or walk around while they wait for their appointment,” Dudley-Horrocks said.
Astique’ has partnered with Wildcarts, which is a golf-cart taxi service, to pick up clients on or near campus.
“It’s a free service,” Valenzuela said. “However, we ask you tip the drivers.”
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