They’ve been a Front Street staple for the last three years, but beauty salon Aesthetics by Alyssa finally had their grand opening on Friday morning.
“It’s such a surreal feeling,” owner Alyssa Rapattoni tells ThoroldToday. “It just feels really good. It feels nice to officially have it announced because we have been waiting for so long.”
Rapattoni started her business six years ago.
"I started working when I was 16 for a company called Caryl Baker Visage," Rapattoni says. "I started to do training with them and it was just always a passion of mine. As I continued to work there I did my schooling and I always knew that I wanted to own a business one day. When I was 26 I made the leap and started Aesthetics by Alyssa."
At first, Rapattoni rented space from Vanity Hair Salon on Front Street, but three years ago she moved into her own space next door.
“We kind of waited for this unit to become available” she says. “December 2019, we opened up our doors and then we had to close due to COVID in March of 2020.”
It was very disheartening to almost immediately have to shut down after opening, says Rapattoni.
“It was obviously really sad but we just tried to make a positive out of it,” she says. “I just delivered products, I did online tutorials, and just found it was all about staying current and keeping in touch with your clients. We honestly came out on the other side. We are so lucky because our clients have been so supportive.”
Aesthetics by Alyssa offers treatments ranging from facial waxing to lash extensions, facials, make-up artistry, microblading, Botox and fillers, as well as teeth whitening.
“It’s very broad,” Rapattoni says. “We do everything basically for your face.”
Rapattoni's business has been steadily growing in the last three years and now she is about to launch a make-up line for the holidays.
“It’s going to be called 'Adore by Alyssa,'” she says. “I'm really excited about that because I’ve been a make-up artist for fifteen years now and it’s been kind of a dream of mine to have my own make-up line.”
Several city and regional officials came out to the ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday morning.
The chair of the Thorold BIA Sergio Carpino, regional councillor Tim Whalen, and the chair of the Niagara Board of Trade & Commerce (NBOTAC) Mark Kawabe were all present.
Mayor Terry Ugulini gave a speech in which he had nothing but praise for Rapattoni and her business.
“Look at all the employees here,” he said. “This is just one business in Thorold. Then you really understand why small businesses are the backbone of the community.”
