Customer profiles – Set Studio, Beehive Mill
Ready to take the leap and open her own nail studio, Eloise from Set Studio was after a place which truly reflected her aesthetic. After co-owning her first studio on Deansgate in Manchester, she was ready to find a new space that was all hers – somewhere with the creative energy, design character and flexibility to match her vision.
Enter Beehive Mill: a converted cotton mill and the former home of the iconic Sankeys nightclub in the heart of Ancoats, packed with charm and reimagined by designer Maurice Shapero. We spoke to Eloise about how her new space at the iconic building has helped her first solo studio get off to a flying start and what she’s got in store for the future.
Humble beginnings
"I actually started out doing nails during my gap year, working out of a salon close to my family home in North Wales. At the time, I didn’t have a plan for where doing nails would take me, and I definitely never imagined I’d end up running my own studio!
"But once I moved to Manchester for university, things started to grow. I studied Fashion, Styling and Photography, and thanks to that creative background, I’ve always been really drawn to design and detail. I started picking up more clients and eventually co-owned a studio, which was a great step, but I knew I wanted more freedom to create something of my own."
Building a future at Beehive
"One day I was walking my dog, Zac, and happened to spot a ‘to let’ sign on the side of Beehive Mill. I did a quick online search and found a listing for a workspace in the building on the Urban Splash website and instantly fell in love. The exposed brick, high ceilings and overall industrial-modern feel matched what I wanted to create for Set Studio.
"I got in touch with the Urban Splash team, and within a few days I was inside viewing a couple of spaces. The team were really accommodating, especially Carl and Kelly, helping me to curate the right space. Before I knew it, I was collecting the keys, and ever since I’ve poured everything into bringing my vision into reality.
“I wanted the space to look and feel right, not just for me, but for my clients and the other creatives that work alongside me in the studio. Everything in the studio has been thoughtfully selected and designed, from our custom aluminium desktops to the finishing touches peppered around the space.”
More than just a building
"You can’t help but feel inspired in this building, there’s so much character and creativity here which is exactly what I wanted for my studio. It isn’t a traditional salon; it’s a creative studio where I just happen to do nails.
"It’s been such a great journey so far, and I’m so proud of what I’ve built. The studio really feels like home, and more importantly, it feels like me. I’ve got big plans for the future of Set Studio and having a space like Beehive Mill to grow from makes all the difference."
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