Remodel brings fresh SoHo loft chic to Cre8 Salon & Spa

Inviting overhaul inspires creativity and honors Cape Coral salon’s Manhattan connection

Cre8 Salon & Spa has recently completed a stunning new remodel and expansion of its location at 814 SW Pine Island Road, bringing a warm, SoHo-inspired vibe to Cape Coral. Cre8 eagerly accepted some design inspiration from celebrity stylist Nick Arrojo on a visit from Manhattan, who suggested tearing down certain walls to achieve the visual and functional flow of an open-concept design and accommodate additional work stations.

“Nick is a whirlwind of enthusiasm, and we are always excited to have his passion as a driving force for inspiration,” Cre8 owner Marcy Moreno said. Her husband and Cre8 co-owner, Jeff Sagarac, is a skilled tradesman who oversaw the remodel and provided a lot of hands-on labor during the process. He also came up with many clever customizations and innovations to achieve the beautiful result.

As an Arrojo Ambassador Salon, Cre8 has enjoyed a long mentoring relationship with Nick Arrojo, who has helped owner Marcy Moreno bring his razor cut techniques and other advanced skills and training from Manhattan to an enthusiastic Southwest Florida clientele. Cre8’s menu of services pays tribute to its mentor, with manicures and pedicures named after parts of New York City, including SoHo, Broadway and 5th Avenue.

Arrojo’s world-famous flagship salon in SoHo, and his new additions in Tribeca and Brooklyn, boast an electrifying aesthetic achieved with bold solid colors, industrial wall finishes, exposed ductwork, and lots of glass and chrome. While Cre8 did seek to emulate Arrojo’s open-concept spaces as he suggested, celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham’s Mèche Salon in Beverly Hills, with its use of texture, elegant colors and natural wood, provided inspiration for Cre8’s warm palate of finishes and décor.

The response from clients so far has been overwhelming. An interesting development is that they often request to have their photo taken with “the wall.” This wall of rich, knotty pine planks serves as the backdrop for the four gorgeous models showing off Cre8 stylists’ work, as featured on the salon and spa’s website and social media accounts.

Moreno said, “Jeff and I were inspired by the sexy wooden plank vibe at Tracey’s salon, and turned Cre8 into a place where everyone feels like a celebrity in Southwest Florida.” She said she didn’t realize the wall would also become a celebrity in its own right, although in retrospect she’s not surprised, given Sagarac’s skill in making her “dream salon” a reality. Other one-of-a-kind touches include the handcrafted wooden sliding barn door, custom ventilated nail bar, beverage bar and sleek front lobby desk. The remodel also included an expansion, from 2,500 to 4,000 square feet. The spa has moved to a dedicated quiet area, and the salon side has added additional hair stations to help keep up with the growing team, which has grown from eight to 38 members over the years.

In addition to the inspiration provided by Nick Arrojo and Tracey Cunningham, Cre8 Salon and Spa is grateful to partner with SalonCentric, whose support was invaluable before, during and after the remodel and expansion.

Cre8 Salon & Spa
Established in 2006, Cre8 Salon & Spa is a full-service salon and day spa. It is one of only three Florida salons carrying the Nick Arrojo hair care product line, classifying it as an Arrojo Ambassador Salon, and owner Marcy Moreno is Arrojo Razor-Craft Certified. Cre8 also is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for completing the most haircuts by a team in eight hours, a world record the salon set in November 2011 during a fundraiser for the Florida ALS Association. Cre8 is located at 814 SW Pine Island Road, #202 in Cape Coral, in the Fountain Shops on Pine Island Road and Skyline Boulevard. For more information call 239-458-2704 or visit www.cre8salon.com.