Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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ne Weddings Dinner and a Show: A belly dancer (left) and a place setting at the couple���s reception. picking her husband���s brain for inspiration as the salon side of her business evolves; Harris also relies on Lekkakos as a sounding board for trends in the spa industry. ���Our mantras are different,��� Harris says. ���Hers is, ���Hurry up, let���s get going.��� Mine is, ���Let���s make it happen, and if you hurry up, it���s a job done poorly.��� She says, ���No, not if it���s the right track.��� We spar. We laugh about it. But you know what?��� he asks, glancing again at Lekkakos with a smile. ���She���s right.��� Working Together Inspired by the success of Restaurant Week, the couple in 2010 began to lay out plans for a similar concept within the salon industry, where top salons would borrow Restaurant Week���s discounted pricing model as a way to attract new clients and create a buzz. In April 2012, Salon Week was born; it ran successfully again in October, including salons from Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, with another one in the works. ���Salon Week encompasses an energy the industry is hungry for,��� Harris says. ���We know we���re on the first step of the ladder. We want to bring this nationwide. Yeah, we���ve got a mountain to climb���but this is special, and we���re tenacious.��� So are there are any additional plans for collaboration, like a product line, perhaps, or a co-branded salon? After acknowledging the intensity of their individual pursuits and the dedication needed to continue with Salon Week, neither sees the potential for additional joint projects just yet. Lekkakos���s clients will make sure of that, too���they���re constantly checking in to make sure M. Lekkakos Salon & Spa is staying put in Wenham. ���I grew up in Rockport,��� she says, ���and I love Wenham, how beautiful it is, and my clients.��� At the end of the work day, the couple retires to their home in the Back Bay (���I get the best of both worlds,��� says Lekkakos, referring to her scenic commute up the coast). They admit it can be difficult to turn the switch to ���off������especially when they share so many of the same career joys and frustrations, not to mentiom a mile-long list of ideas. ���We don���t have a traditional relationship,��� says Harris. ���All day long, our plates are full, and a lot of it is very high stress. We know when we work hard and share a common goal, collectively, we���re stronger, and we feel equipped to handle whatever comes our way. But,��� he adds, ���like any couple, we try to create an awareness. We say, ���Okay, the day is over. It���s time to let it go, to sit down and have dinner, to be present.������ Lekkakos adds, ���When you deliver what you want and it happens, it���s [powerful]. It���s [inspiring]. It makes you feel so good that what you���re delivering is working. It���s an honor.��� In simpler terms, she says, ���it���s magic.��� M. Lekkakos Salon & Spa is located at 154 Main Street in Wenham. Salon hours, gift certificates, and additional information can be found at mlekkakos.com. Salon Marc Harris has multiple locations in Boston. For locations, hours, and more, visit salonmarcharris.com. To learn more about Salon Week, visit salonweek.com. Andrianna���s is located at 155a Front Street in Exeter, NH. Their products and services can be found online at n andriannas.com. ��� 110 nshoremag.com January/February 2013 NSJanFeb13_ Lekkakos.indd 110 11/19/12 3:07 PM