A Grand New Illusion

Here’s how you can join the celebration of Illusion Unlimited’s grand re-opening in Strongsville and win free hair services—for a full year.

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 07/16/2009
It’s possible that nobody has made more Strongsville residents look their best than the creative family at Illusion Unlimited Hair Salon.

“My father started Millard’s Salon 40 years ago when Pearl Road was just a two-lane road passing through a country town,” notes Dennis Millard, owner of Illusion Unlimited, which recently moved northward up Pearl to a brand new location in the center of town.

Dennis’ wife, Nancy, raised three children in Strongsville, and before joining the Illusion Unlimited family—literally—worked at some of the community’s most popular salons.

“I worked at some of the best, but I had never seen a salon that was so well managed and with such a friendly and energetic staff,” Nancy insists. “I was so impressed with Dennis that I married him.”

Along with locations in Broadview Heights and Parma, Dennis has operated Illusion Unlimited Salons in three different Strongsville locations since the 1990s.

Nancy says the new location, just behind Goldie’s Deli in the Crossroads Market Plaza, just a few clips from the town commons at Routes 82 and 42, is the best in town.

“This is the heart of Strongsville,” she insists. “Using windows and mirrors, we can see all of Strongsville buzzing around us no matter where we look. We’re exactly where we want to be—right in the middle of what’s happening in town.”

Strongsville, she says, offers a heartwarming, small-town feeling.

“I can’t go anywhere in this town without running into somebody I know,” she smiles. “It’s so neighborly.”

To celebrate the Strongsville grand re-opening, special events will be held this month at all Illusion Unlimited Salons.

On Sunday, July 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Illusion Unlimited will hold “Cut-A-Thons,” featuring $15 cuts and finishes at each of its locations to benefit local charities. Proceeds from all cuts, and 40-percent of all retail sales at the Strongsville and Broadview Heights salons, will go to Camp Cheerful.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun,” Dennis promises. “There will be refreshments and prizes.”

The Strongsville celebration will include a special drawing featuring more than $3,000 in prize giveaways, including free hair services for one year. Entries will be accepted July 21-26 and the drawing will be held on the evening of July 26. You don’t have to get your hair cut to enter, simply stop in at Illusion Unlimited to fill out and submit an entry form, or enter on the salon’s website at  www.illusionunlimited.com.

As always, look for Illusion Unlimited in the Strongsville Homecoming Parade on Wednesday, July 22.

“We see our new location as an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to Strongsville and to show our appreciation for many years of support from the community,” Dennis emphasizes.

The Strongsville salon has a staff of 18, including brilliant, cutting-edge stylists and manicurists. Dennis, who has traveled the world keeping up with the latest trends, and has done some teaching of his own, has implemented a wave of innovations at Illusion Unlimited, like the use of broad-spectrum lighting—a revolutionary system that simulates daylight. That means your color will be correct in any light setting. In order to ensure perfect accuracy and consistency, Illusion Unlimited uses digitally weighed ounces of color formula that are accurate to one-tenth of a gram.

But, Nancy says, the most noticeable area where Illusion Unlimited stands out is the camaraderie and teamwork among the staff, which focuses on making the needs of the customer its top priority.

“After working at other salons, I was immediately impressed by the warm, cooperative environment and the great personal service customers receive from the moment they walk in the door,” Nancy says. “From the staff to the customers, we are all like a big family.”

Coming soon to Illusion Unlimited will be a new self-serve finishing and styling bar that lets you experiment with products and brushes while you blow dry.

You can visit Illusion Unlimited at 13500 Pearl Road, in the Crossroads Market Plaza, or call 440-572-7704. You also can visit the salon’s website at www.illusionunlimited.com.

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