The new Serendipity Hair Studio in Fountain City has a Las Vegas vibe

Krysti Hanson was tired of commuting to Turkey Creek from Fountain City every day.

“I worked at a few different salons and had a private salon suite in Turkey Creek,” Hanson said. “During COVID we shut down, obviously, then coming back to work they had capacity issues.”

Hanson realized what she really wanted was her own space. So she opened Serendipity Hair Studio at 5034 N. Broadway in Fountain City.

“I wanted to be able to make it my own, have control of the decorations, the guest experience and the vibe,” she said.

It didn’t hurt that her new salon is just three minutes from her house and has an abundance of natural light. “I have a ring light and I don’t even need it,” she said. “After doing hair at the MGM casino for six years, I wanted a smaller boutique salon, something more intimate, and this is perfect.”

The urge to strike out on her own felt “serendipitous,” according to Hanson. “I was struggling to find something in this area and thought I needed to build it,” she said. “It ended up being something so beautiful and unexpected, it has turned out amazing … serendipitous.”

Hanson said her husband pushes her to do things that are way out of her comfort zone. “My sweet husband had it all together for me in three months,” she said. “My lease was up and I had a full clientele, so he did all of the fixtures. I was going for a Vegas vibe and wanted something different. I do get homesick, so seeing the desert mural by Mara Wilson makes me smile, and I have framed pictures of little landmarks including the Little White Chapel in Vegas.”

The Hansons used to live in Las Vegas and would visit family in Kingsport regularly. “I loved the Friday Night Lights and the family feel of East Tennessee. I promised once my youngest son started kindergarten six years ago, we would move,” she said.

“I feel like Fountain City is a city within itself.”

Serendipity Hair Studio opened last November, but Hanson does not anticipate having time to celebrate with a grand opening until this fall. “This community has become my family; I feel like opening the salon has made it more so,” she said. “I have built more Fountain City clientele since opening here.”

Currently there are three stylists listed under the Instagram account @serendipityhairstudio_: Hanson, Ava Ratner and Nicole Giles, and they are looking to add another.

“We have an online booking system, and all of our stylists are independent and accept bookings through their Instagram pages,” said Hanson. “We are here Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays.”

When it comes to the services Hanson offers, she says she loves a good transformation through hair color. “My favorite technique is hand painting,” she said. “I use Davines (products) from Italy; we are a Davines exclusive. Everything is very clean and leaves your hair shiny and healthier than before you colored it.”

Serendipity is more than just a place to get your hair done, said Hanson, who believes it is important to focus on the guest experience.

“I want it to feel different, starting with the beverages and snacks – we have all of the fruity flavors of sparkling water, Truly, White Claw and every coffee flavor you can think of.”

Other small details that add to the atmosphere are the scent of the salon, the warm towels and Hanson’s love of lush, green houseplants and quirky wallpaper in the restroom. “I want them to feel like they are on vacation and can escape reality for a while,” she said.

Serendipity Hair Studio even has a signature collection of custom candles. “I collaborated with Blumenberg,” said Hanson. “The scents are Lady Luck, Stardust, Little White Chapel, Highview Drive, and Vegas Vic – he is a Vegas staple. That candle has an earthy cedar smell. Little White Chapel reminds me of drinking almond champagne the night I met my husband. Highview Drive has a coconut scent and reminds me of having barbecues with my dad, and Lady Luck is a sugared rose petal scent. And Stardust smells like honeysuckle, jasmine and white tea.”

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Serendipity Hair Studio in Knoxville has a Vegas vibe