Bewitched Beauty Bar Opens In Farmingdale: 'I Love The Village'

FARMINGDALE, NY — Bewitched Beauty Bar has opened in Farmingdale, replacing gift shop Buster Moon, at 336 Main St., Farmingdale.

The business offers a full-service hair salon, a crystal store, and shelves rented out to local artisans. Owner Melissa Oakley said she hopes to have a lash studio up and running around July. She plans to have artisans sell baked goods, candles, soap and more. She will also hang artwork on the walls that customers can purchase.

"I really want to get local artists in here as a community," Oakley told Patch. "Entrepreneurship. I want to help everyone’s business get up and running. It’s awesome."

Oakley herself is a first-time business owner. She has at least 15 years of experience working in a salon suite. She most recently helped her friend get her studio up and running.

"I love the village," she said. "I’ve been looking for a place to open for three years. I just couldn’t find the right location. I wasn’t in a rush, but when my realtor found this, I was like, 'Sign me up! Let me talk to the landlord immediately.' It’s great, though. Everyone’s so great who comes around here. My neighbors are awesome."

Oakley said she wanted her shop in a village setting and that Farmingdale Village recently renovated its Main Street.

"There’s a lot of foot traffic, and it’s really good for business. Farmingdale is a really big community. I knew before I had a lot of friends who lived in Farmingdale, but even from opening the store, the chamber of commerce has come in. It really is a great town. Everyone is super involved. They do street fairs all the time. I worked a couple of the craft fairs before I knew, so I knew I liked the location. When it popped up, I couldn’t miss the opportunity."

Oakley said she does "great hair," which she feels makes Bewitched Beauty Bar stand out. The fact her shop offers multiple services is another point, she said.

"It’s in one store: You can get your hair done, you can get your lashes done, you can go shopping," she said.

Oakley said she went to BOCES in high school, and that she had no interest in schooling.

"I just wanted to get out of high school. I was not a good student," she said.

She then fell in love with styling, and was obsessed with it by her second year in beauty school.

"It became my passion. I love making people feel good about themselves," Oakley said. "When they look in the mirror when they’re all done, and they’re like, ‘Oh my God,’ it's such a good feeling. I love it. I love what I do. I love coming to work everyday. It’s awesome. Crystals and jewelry-making is my other passion, so I’ve combined them both."

Oakley strives to form a connection with every guest she has and loves listening to her clients' stories — she's had the same customers over her career as a hair stylist.

"I’ve watched their kids go to high school and graduate college. It’s just really awesome that I’m able to connect with so many people a day and share intimate details of their lives. I went to one of my client’s weddings last month. It’s really awesome to become part of their family. That’s what I strive to do with every single guest who walks in here: I want to be part of their family."

Oakley said she's recently divorced with two children and wants to make Bewitched Beauty Bar a family-friendly place where customers can bring their kids. She has a play pen set up for her older son and other children.

"It’s just a really awesome opportunity that I got, and I’m very, very thankful that I can be in a village with such a great community," she said. "I have people from Farmingdale offices stop in, I have people from the chamber of commerce stop in all the time. It’s really nice that I feel like they care about you as a person and not just as a business for the village to make money. It’s really great. I’m thankful that I’m able to open a store here."