Brow bar joins growing number of independent businesses at Stack Seaburn

Since it opened in September last year, the £3million shipping container village has become a base for a number of Sunderland businesses, which range from food and drink traders to lifestyle units.

Now, city businesswoman Laura Benson has joined the units dedicated to health and wellbeing with her Arch brow bar.

Laura built up a client base renting a chair at the Jen Deighton salon in Sea Road, and now she’s opened her own business in her home city after taking up one of the remaining units in phase 1 of Stack.

Arch focuses on shaping and tinting eyebrows with a combination of threading, waxing, tweezing and custom-made tints.

Speaking about how she became a brow technician Laura, from Ashbrooke, said: “I’d always done my own brows. I used to work in Space NK in Newcastle and people would always comment on them and ask where I’d got them done.

"So I decided to do a course in it and it went from there. I really wanted to specialise in one area.”

She added: “I’ve only been open a couple of weeks, but the response so far has been great. I’m getting a lot of work through Instagram and word of mouth.”

Brow maintenance has becoming an increasingly popular treatment.

"I think a lot of it stems from the catwalk and models like Cara Delevingne who have bushy brows,” explained Laura. “It’s a great treatment for people who don’t wear much make up as is it makes them feel more put together. Brows are such a big part of your face and it really helps to frame your features.”

Arch neighbours So Smooth Co smoothie bar which also opened its doors this year providing a range of healthy drinks.

Due to it being only partially covered, Stack has been one of the city businesses able to reopen from April 12 as part of the Government’s roadmap to lead the country out of lockdown – and it’s proving a popular spot for outdoors drinking and dining.

Laura said: “It’s a really good community to be a part of and everyone is always up for helping.”

Stack has built a huge following since it first opened last year and in its initial 10 weeks of trading, before the North East went into Tier 3, it attracted 100,000 visitors from across the North East.

Phase 2 of the development, to the rear of the existing site, is due to start in the coming months and will have more of a focus on games and events, including a function suite.

Neighbouring business The Seaburn Inn, a 40-bed pub with rooms, is also nearing completion and is due to open in the coming weeks.

It will mark the latest milestone in the wider seafront regeneration scheme which is also seeing the transformation of former storage units and toilet blocks into cafes and restaurants.

Some of the most anticipated developments include the renovation of a former toilet block in Roker into a Tin of Sardines gin bar and the team behind Mexico 70 creating a seafood restaurant at a disused storage shelter in Seaburn.

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