To celebrate its 20^th Anniversary furniture manufacturer Minerva Beauty is giving away 20 service trays to stylists on July 30^th.

To honor that, SALON TODAY poked around a bit, exploring the evolution of the service tray.

A practical addition to the station, service trays got their start as an affordable option for providing a simple additional surface for a stylist’s tools, bowls, and products.

As services became more specialized, colorists grabbed trays for multiple bowls, brushes, foil, and waste. Extension artists needed a surface for extensions and tools. And estheticians and spa professionals wanted larger surfaces and shelves for multiple products and supplies.

At the same time, salons became smaller and more flexible, with entrepreneurs taking up residence in suites, and salons leaning away from assigning service providers to a dedicated station, but rather parceling out a different space each day according to workflow. Service trays met that demand by being collapsible, easy to store, stable, and highly mobile.

“Over the past 20 years, we’ve watched the salon tray evolve from a simple surface for holding tools into an essential part of the beauty professional’s workflow,” says Megan Ferlito, executive vice president for Minerva Beauty. “Today’s stylists expect their trays to combine form and function, complementing the salon’s design while helping them work more efficiently from one client to the next.”

Minerva’s current Watson and Granger trays, for example, feature a collapsible design and outward-facing casters to improve storage and maneuverability.

Today the service tray category ranges from straightforward, height-adjustable aluminum trays to complete mobile workstations with removable trays, locking storage, foil dispensers, color bowls, waste receptacles, rotating compartments, and hair-resistant wheels. And, of course, coming in a variety of styles, materials, and colors allows users to coordinate the trays with the look and feel of the space.

“And, believe it or not, the salon tray is still evolving. With several exciting new developments underway, stay tuned for the next chapter in its evolution,” Ferlito says.

To be considered for the giveaway, you must complete this simple registration form by July 27^th. Winners will be announced on July 30th and will be able to select their preferred option of the Watson, Granger, or Kato Service Tray.