The history of Eden and why you should seek it today!
Little Eden was originally built in the garden of the adjoining house by the Bank and traded for many years as the National Bank. Many of our pensioners still remember coming to the bank with their parents. At that time it had a stone fascia with ‘National Bank’ carved across it. This is still under the current weather boarding but so badly damaged that it could never be restored, although when Elaine purchased the building she did obtain estimates but it was deemed beyond repair.
The building then was general stores, a Boys club and then in the later years Expressions hair dressers. At this time it had seen a lot better days and was painted battleship grey and maroon red, the building fell into disrepair and the roof collapsed, ivy grew inside the building and it looked destined to become a ruin. Eden was started by Elaine Collins in 1998. At that time she was a Senior Manager with a National Company and used to dealing with a turnover of millions. The Local hairdressers 'Strandz" was closing due to the lease expiring and the owners choosing to sell. All the staff were to be made unemployed. One of the girls from 'Strandz" asked that if Elaine she was interested in purchasing a property to open a Salon, offering to manage it on a day to day basis should it be of interest. As Elaine was working long hours and all around the country at that time, she had the finances but not the time. Although Elaine had always liked the idea of opening a business in Marden as the Collins family has been in the Village since 1804 when John Collins was a Farmer in Sheridan Lane and Landlord of the West End Pub it seemed a tradition to be followed. Dennis Collins, Elaine's husband already had a Property Development Company within the village, and if they embarked on this project this would be their first Retail outlet.
Elaine decided to buy this property freehold and set about renovating the building as the roof had collapsed and it was in need of extensive renovations. Dennis did all the building work and completely transformed the building from a Battleship gray and maroon wreck to a quaint white weather boarded Salon as seen today, it took nearly as much money to repair it as it did to buy it but in 1998 Elaine launched the Salon as West End Hair.
After 4 years Elaine’s original Manager decided to leave, she lived in Cranbrook and decided to seek employment in her own village where her children were at school. She obtained a job with the salon she trained at also going mobile within Marden. She did offer to buy the Salon but Elaine and Dennis turned down the offer as Elaine had ran the business for four years at this time, and put so much time and money into the venture in their home village that it had become passion and she wanted to continue although a large amount of the clients followed the previous manager amid persuasion so it would not be easy she would have to start again.
Re-launching was a difficult time and Elaine decided to re-brand and rename the salon ‘Little Eden’ this was a very difficult task and the first six months was marred with disappointments. A top stylist from Tonbridge had decided to accept the manager’s position and then became almost immediately pregnant and left in the first month, letting down the customers and Elaine and leaving her with only Junior Stylist. She then had to recruit. The previous staff who of course knew all the clients had gone mobile and as anyone knows people do like to find a hairdresser they like and stay with them. However, nothing if not stubborn and faced with these constant setbacks she was determined to keep it going, although it was always 100% financed by herself at this stage she personally was keeping it going. The clients who stayed at that time we also lost some due to a period of changes whilst we tried to get it right. Tracey who had worked for Elaine at West End Hair then offered to manage the Marden Shop. We together then gradually built it back up with all new clients however, today many of the original clients have returned to us. That was seven years ago now, some memories are long and today some people still remember those difficult times.
Today Little Eden has a reputation for skill and service and has emerged even stronger than before. Hence the Butterfly logo, it has become a thing of beauty from the tumble down shed where it started, and along the way has overcome adversity and created an interesting past.
Little Eden Won 7th place in the National Hair Federations, National Championships 2006. Also they Won 2nd Place in the Southern Regional Championships in November 2006. We were nominated for Small Business Employer of the year for 2007 for commitment to Staff Development and Training, something we are truly proud as this nomination by the Kent Education Authority was instigated on the basis of expertise, qualifications and interviews with our staff. Eden is a member of the National Hair Federation. In 2008 we sent 4 stylist to compete in this years NHF national open championship and they came 4th 5th 6th and 7th which amazed and thrilled even us.
As a village Hairdressers we do have one unique problem which hinders our survival that is we do train and introduce to our clients to our girls who potentially are future mobile hairdressers. If they had never worked here they would never have known these clients but it is often the case that clients will follow them elsewhere. We are sure this will happen again as it did in the past , but, this time hopefully we are better prepared in the knowledge that we can survive such devastating blows and rebuild it even better.
Thank you to all those loyal customers who use Little Eden. We really do value each and every one of you and never take you for granted.
LITTLE EDEN, BANK HOUSE, CHURCH GREEN, MARDEN, TONBRIDGE, KENT
Little Eden Can be found on the corner of Pattenden Lane at the Village End.
