Avenue 42 Salon to expand to third location, this time in Short Pump

Natalie Gordon. Nikki Santerre

A city-based salon is expanding out to Short Pump for its third location.

Avenue 42 Salon, which currently has spots at 16 E. Main St. and 5803 Patterson Ave., is moving into a 2,000-square-foot location at 2225 Old Brick Road in West Broad Village. 

Owner Natalie Gordon founded Avenue 42 on East Main Street in 2012. She opened the Patterson location in 2023. She started Avenue 42 as a bridal-focused salon, and as popularity grew, expanded to a full-service salon. 

For the move to West Broad Village, Gordon said Avenue 42 is taking over the former location of Bombshell, a local salon chain that abruptly closed last fall. 

Gordon said she debated between opening a third location in either Midlothian or Short Pump before ultimately deciding on Short Pump after seeing the West Broad Village space. 

“I think Short Pump is somewhere that feels like its own city in Richmond,” Gordon said. “We’ve had such good feedback from the people that live out there that they really want to support Avenue 42 and be clients of Avenue 42. They’re so happy it’s more convenient.” 

Avenue 42 officially signed onto the space at the beginning of June, and the upfit is set to begin soon, Gordon said. With the space being a former salon in shades of hot pink and black, the space will undergo a “major aesthetic renovation” to bring it in line with Avenue 42’s calm, “modern luxury” locations, Gordon said.

Upfit costs should come in at around $200,000, she added. 

The new Avenue 42 location will have 12 hair stations and four makeup stations. 

Avenue 42’s salons mix calm colors with a “modern luxury” aesthetic. Nikki Santerre

Spray tan business nudeFX will also be offering its services in a room at the new Avenue 42 location. NudeFX, owned by Jessica Lee, has three other locations in Richmond, Midlothian and Fredericksburg. 

Depending on permits, Gordon hopes to open the doors on the new salon at the end of August. 

And with the third location opening, Gordon said she will be turning the East Main Street location into a bridal suite, as Avenue 42 averages hair and makeup services for around 400 weddings per year. 

NudeFX owner Jessica Lee, left, and Avenue 42 Salon owner Natalie Gordon, right. Yana Bilash

Gordon originally began doing hair and makeup for weddings as a side gig while in law school, but decided to pivot into the industry full-time after discovering a love for it. 

She said that when she opened the doors on her first salon 13 years ago, she never imagined she’d be able to sign on for a second or third location. 

“I thought downtown was gonna be one and done for me, but as the brand has grown, I’ve realized that my calling is to support as many artists in their evolution as possible,” Gordon said. “I feel the Short Pump area is going to embrace us, and we’re so excited to be out there and be part of the West Broad Village community.” 

Avenue 42 has 35 employees. Around 10 full-time employees will staff the new location when it opens. 

Peter Vick and Harrison Hall of Colliers International represented the landlord in Avenue 42’s lease.

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