Juanita Huber-Millet: The Secret Behind Townhouse's Success

The nail salon brand Townhouse was first founded by Juanita Huber-Millet in 2018. It is now the UK’s most talked about luxury nail salon brand, elevating and redefining the nail salon experience with high-quality, reliable treatments in beautiful surroundings. Known for its celebrity clientele and exclusive brand collaborations, Townhouse’s speciality is nail art – beautiful looks that are elegant enough to be worn to a meeting, and stylish enough to be worn out to dinner. The Townhouse team are experts in their field, delivering flawless services all while adhering to industry-leading hygiene standards.

With five locations across the UK – four in Central London in Fitzrovia, Harrods Knightsbridge, Kensington, and Liverpool Street, and one in H beauty Milton Keynes – Townhouse is on a mission to elevate nails.

In this interview with PBL Magazine, Juanita discusses the tips to launching and growing a successful salon.

When you opened your first location in London’s Fitzrovia, what was your inspiration and your aim for the salon?

I have been an avid nail devotee since my teens but always struggled to find a nail salon I could trust. I found myself leaning towards Spas for my treatments, but this was both costly and time-consuming for regular treatments. I started considering the idea of opening a nail salon in 2016 and discussed my frustrations with friends and family who also noted the same frustrations.

After many months of researching and visiting salons in the UK and abroad, I decided to embark on this journey and opened the first Townhouse salon in Fitzrovia in May 2018.

My vision for Townhouse was to create a beautiful, sophisticated space where customers could relax, with flawless reliable treatments, top-level hygiene and wearable nail art looks. 

What sets Townhouse apart from other salons across the market?

There are many aspects that sets the Townhouse brand apart, but I would say the key areas would be - our investment in staff and comprehensive training program led by our in-house trainers for all new starters and ongoing for team members wishing to add to their skill set.

I would also add to that our focus on cleanliness and hygiene practices plus our fantastic brand collaborations which include Givenchy, Elemis, Chantecaille and Sisley - to name a few! 

When did you know it was time to open a second salon?

We were lucky enough to be approached by London's luxury department store Harrods regarding an opportunity to open in their Knightsbridge flagship. in As you can imagine, it was a very exciting prospect - especially given the department store's world-renowned 

image. We sat down with the Harrods team, and it all went from there! We opened Townhouse Knightsbridge in 2020.

Do you have any advice or words of wisdom on things you wish you had done, you can give to salon owners looking to open a new location?

I would definitely recommend a business management course for anyone looking to start their own business as this will really add to the skill set needed to be a confident and successful business owner.

As with any new venture, it's essential to be prepared - it's definitely worth taking a little longer during the research and planning stages to really nail down everything ahead of launching a new salon.

Time management is always a challenge for me - I would recommend using “to-do list” software to always stay organised, prioritise (don't try to do everything!) and map out clear goals and stick to them.

With five locations across the UK (and counting!), how do you make sure to maintain exceptional service in each salon? 

Training is the key to ensuring exceptional standards across all salons but at the end of the day, it’s about the passion of the team and ensuring that permeates everything.

The newest Townhouse Liverpool Street, located at the front of London’s historic Spitalfields Market is due to open on 12th September, how will this salon uphold the Townhouse values and how will it differ? 

I am thrilled to be opening our first Townhouse salon in East London! The Liverpool Street salon will sport a very similar interior aesthetic as our Kensington location but with a few industrial influences to suit the location and history! Customers can expect our fabulous signature treatment menu and seasonal nail art collections.

 We heard that you’re hiring! Can you tell us anything about working at Townhouse and the opportunities available for employees?

Yes, we are currently hiring for multiple roles across all salons and our Head Office.

We offer fantastic perks for our staff members - including team nights out, beauty perks, competitions, and incentives. Plus, ongoing training and career progression. We want to create meaningful career opportunities and we only work with nice, friendly people!