Christopher Peak Photo
Closed Fuel Coffee, which’ll house Andrea Zola’s beauty bar (below).
MBDbeauty, LLC
New Haven will get its first “beauty bar” in Wooster Square, now that the concept has won approval from city zoners.
Andrea Zola plans transform what’s currently Fuel Coffee Shop at 208 Wooster St. into Bar Beauty, the first flagship location that will expand the offerings from her 10-year freelance business of helping brides doll up on their wedding day. Or as she called it, her business’s “forever home in New Haven.”
Zola plans to add two salon chairs and a counter for makeup application to the 312 square-foot store.
To do so, she first needed the Zoning Board of Appeals to hand her a special exception for a convenience service use. At the board’s monthly meeting Tuesday night at 200 Orange St., Zola explained that the “beauty bar” concept differs from a conventional, full-service salon in that customers walk in only for makeup, eyelashes and styling — a trend that’s sweeping through New York and Boston, she said.
Mildred Melendez, the only one of the five zoning board members who apparently knew about the beauty bar trend, cheerily endorsed the idea. “I think this is a great project that will bring a different kind of business to the neighborhood,” she said. “It’s something that’s much needed.”
That’s right, the board’s chair, Benjamin Trachten, chimed in. “There’s lots of ugly people out there.”
After the board voted unanimously, five to zero, to grant a special exception, board member Patricia King joked to Trachten that he’d likely get a free blowout from the grateful applicant. “I don’t know how that would work,” he said, rubbing his shaved head.
Zola explains the beauty bar trend to the zoning board.
A newlywed herself, Zola, 30, grew up in New Haven — her parents still live in Morris Cove — and now lives in Wallingford. Her wedding business now hires more than 20 freelance makeup artists, and she personally beautifies brides and fashion models across the Northeast
Just up the block from Wooster Square’s tourist-packed Italian eateries, Zola’s choice location has previously housed a tailor, laundromat and coffee shop. Asked whether she was worried about drumming up customers, given that Fuel closed after just a year and a half, she said she already had a clientele from her wedding business who will come in to get their makeup for more casual events, like a dinner date or a girls’ night.
Zola said she plans to hire two employees to staff the bar.
Fuel made the best cappuccino in New Haven and I miss it.
The high-tech Franke machine at Elm City Market makes a remarkable alternative.
I'd rather see a barista employed than use a machine, but such is life.