Cowdenbeath’s beloved Uptown Girl is preparing to close its doors, but the new owners are getting ready to turn it into their new business.
Jean Young, who has run Uptown Girl for eight years, is closing the shop for the last time this upcoming Saturday, March 23.
The shop will be turning into a beauty salon, and new owners Yinyin Hong (known as Cherry) and Yin Fon Lau can’t wait to get started.
Yinyin said: “I feel so excited, because it’s just like my dream to open a shop for myself, and you know finally, I can just get that dream come true.”
The new business will be called Honeymoon Beauty Salon, and it will offer a range of services including manicures, pedicures, eyelashes, makeup, microblading, with some retail.
Yinyin started learning these skills when she was in China and when she was in university. Her degree is in civil engineering, but she learned how to do nails, makeup, and facial techniques for fun.
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She added: “It’s not just about a nail bar, it includes nails and like manicure, pedicure. I will also do like eyebrows, eyelashes, and also maybe makeup, and also I would do like, because I’ve already done microblading for years, so I think I will also do that.”
“We also want to differentiate ourselves away from just being a nail salon, like that’s something we’re trying to veer away from, we want to cater for all types of services when it comes to beauty, not just be a nail salon. We do all services,” Yin Fon Lau commented.
Uptown Girl has become a staple on Cowdenbeath’s High Street, and current owner Jean is well-known in the community.
Speaking about leaving her shop, Jean said: “It's been highly emotional, as you can imagine. It’s been very hard, it’s been a very difficult decision to make, but I know it is the right decision. I'm very deeply saddened to be leaving Cowdenbeath because the community here has been wonderful.
“I’ve loved working in the community. It is the end of an era because Uptown Girl has been here for almost 40 years, eight years that I’ve had it, a very long time.”
Jean will now be opening a new shop, called Jean’s Sparkle Style and Gifts, in Kinross’ High Street.
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She added: “I’m launching on Thursday, April 4, I’m having a big launch weekend from the Thursday, I’ll be open late on the Thursday night right through to Sunday.
"So it’s like a double-edged sword. I’m really sad to be giving up my shop because obviously I love my shop here and I love Uptown Girl, but at the same time I’m excited for the new venture up there as well.
“I'm completely rebranding because Uptown Girl had to be left behind in Cowdenbeath, that’s why I’ve made the decision to change the name and come away from everything wedding related.
“So it is quite exciting. It’ll be a new venture up there, the new name of the shop’s going to be Jean’s Sparkle Style and Gifts, and yeah it’s quite exciting, it’s exciting times. I’m ready for a new venture, a new challenge, it feels like this, as difficult of a decision as it has been, to sell the shop and move on, I know I’ve made the right decision.
“So it feels right, the timing is right, this lovely couple here, I’m more than happy to hand over the shop to them because I know they’re going to take very good care of it.”
Yinyin and Yin Fon Lau plan to open Honeymoon Beauty Salon in May, and there will be exclusive deals for the grand opening throughout the month.
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