Sierra Academy of Style opens in Carson City

Carson City’s new beauty school is officially open.

Sierra Academy of Style held a ribbon cutting Monday with family, friends and officials in attendance.

“Today is a great day for Carson City. Today we celebrate the opening of a brand new business, a business that brings beauty to Carson City,” said Mayor Bob Crowell.

Among the attendees was the school’s first student, Morgan Pruzzo, who is studying for her cosmetology license.

Classes started May 6 and so far the school has 11 students, said Anthony Gayner, who with his wife Brandy owns and operates Sierra Academy.

The goal is 100 students in the first year.

“We have small enrollment in the first month so the instructors can get the rust off,” said Anthony Gayner.

Erica Hufford and Shelby Kuhn, who taught at Carson City Beauty Academy, once located in the same spot, are Sierra Academy instructors.

“The next round is June 6. We enroll aestheticians and cosmetology students on the first Tuesday of every month and nail techs on the third Tuesday,” said Brandy Gayner.

The different curriculum sets Sierra Academy apart from other beauty schools, which usually offer a single, comprehensive course.

Sierra Academy will offer four tracks: a full 1,600 hour, or 11.5 month, cosmetology course that teaches hair, nails and skincare, as well as three shorter programs specifically for aestheticians, nail technicians and hair design.

The nail tech track, for example, is 600 hours or 3.5 months.

The Gayners spent the last several months remodeling the space, which came with the previous school’s equipment, including four pedicure chairs, six manicure desks, five aesthetician beds and skincare equipment, and 60 hair stations.

“It went pretty smoothly,” said Brandy Gayner. “But there were a lot of walls to paint.”

They used local vendors when possible, including Alpine Signs for signage, Tara Burke at Computer Artistry for graphics design, and for the floors Central Sanitary Supply, where Brandy Gayner’s brother-in-law, Jim Sperske, works.

“They used us as a training facility,” said Brandy Gayner.

Sierra Academy of Style is located at 1851 Roop St. For more information, call 885-7417.