Who doesn’t like to have their hair done?! Exactly! We all love it! Most often we can hardly wait for that regular personal time reserved for us to sit back, relax and enjoy. It is amazing how a transformation takes place in a salon. All it takes is that personal touch and magic of a hairdresser or barber!
Being a hairdresser/barber provides an opportunity to touch the lives of people in more ways than one. They influence a client’s social and professional life and shape part of their personality……if you look good, you feel good! All stylists are unique but most great stylists have a knack for listening, make visions a reality, are honest, possess technical skills and can keep secrets!
A relationship is built when a stylist has gained our trust. This turns into a friendship. Then when we snuggle into that salon chair, we easily slip into sharing much more than hair styles. Combine “baring your soul” with a good listener, and it may be similar to a therapy session!
You may have heard expressions such as, “ Only the hairdresser knows for sure”, “Beauty comes from inside…..inside the hair salon”, “Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to dye the gray again” and “Therapy is expensive, get a haircut instead”!
It’s all good. The salon is a safe place where we re-emerge into the outside world as a more confident, fabulous version of ourselves!
As we look forward to,” The Cutting Room Hair Salon”(Cassie Bradford) relocating to Commercial Street, we are reminded of previous salons in town, some were also on our main street.
The one that first comes to mind was across from Cassie’s new place, on the corner of Commercial and Glasgow. The former barracks of the NW Mounted Police was made into a pool hall and barber shop, opened by Sammy Bruner in 1905. Sandy Couper took over the barber chair for a while and opened a candy shop and restaurant. G H Inglis also ran a barbershop and confectionery between 1905-07.
Mrs Gardiner, known as a midwife, was also a hairdresser in the 30’s. In the 40’s, there were three Beauty Parlors…Irene’s, Mae’s and Lenore’s. Sheila Bruce Jean Oliver and Ada Moore did some hairdressing too. Tom Koptie opened a barber shop in 1960 and was later joined by wife Sophie, as a hairdresser. Joan Kerr opened a salon in the 70’s. Mary Rushka and Gwen’s Style House started business in the 80’s. Lana Jarvis-Parsons opened a salon at home in 2001 and Cassie Bradford opened her home business in 2009. We have certainly appreciated all the dedicated, personal service over the years!
Irene and Bob Kerr lived on the corner of Commercial Street and Montreal Ave. After their marriage, Irene (Johnson, from Foam Lake, Sk) operated her salon from the addition on their home. Her daughter, Joan (Boehm) recalls her mom doing lots of perms and excelling at finger waves! Her mom also swore that if thin hair was worn in French braids, it would eventually thicken.
Gwen Maddaford thinks she instinctively progressed from cutting the hair of every doll she owned, to “hair trim trading” with her five sisters, to taking training at Richards Beauty College. She was inspired by her mom and grandma who played the role of family/ community stylists. The smell of those old Toni’s is hard to forget.
“Pay back and forgiveness” were conditions to always keep in mind with sisters. Taping down the bangs and cutting along the edge seemed like the perfect solution for getting bangs straight until…..the tape was removed and a cowlick popped up! Worse yet, an eyebrow was missing! Fortunately, there was no payback or get even, that time!
Gwen was 14 when a childhood dream came true …… she had a professional cut and perm! All was magical until she walked out with “an old ladies hairdo”. Even her dad was afraid to comment!
Cosmetology classes at YRHS gave Gwen the opportunity to work after school and on Saturdays as a shampoo girl at Scientific, then Darlene’s Style House, Yorkton. The excitement of seeing beautiful creations encouraged her to take training in Regina.
After working towards her journeyman’s, Gwen pursued her dream of owning and operating her own shop. In 1980, Gwen’s Style Shoppe opened. Becoming part of the community is an experience she will always treasure. It was no longer just a career or business, but being a part of the fabric that makes smaller communities as precious as your family.
A single stylist serving males and females with cuts, colors, perms, stylings, ear piercing, retail, etc quickly grew to include additional stylists to operate a second chair. Sister Cathy Wilson joined Gwen then later, Emma Markham, Darlene Bassingthwaite, Wanda Conrad, Joan Michael, Elaine Janett and sister Noreen Salamon, doing skin care. A natural progression followed of providing weekly service at Lakeside Manor and mobile service for shut-ins.
The friendships developed with clients, staff and community members still warms Gwen’s heart with memories.
In 1993, Gwen’s career took her back to salons in Yorkton, the last being the one at The Bentley Retirement Community. After 35 years of hairdressing, Gwen changed careers and became a concrete finisher! With all her years of experience, she can now make a “pretty sidewalk!”
Lana Jarvis- Parsons recalls that her career also began by cutting the hair of dolls, Barbie dolls. This was followed with her struggles trying to manage her own natural curls. The determination to find a solution, led her to want to help others find styles with desired results too! By grade 7/8, she was practicing haircuts on family and friends, all so trusting! Cosmo classes at YRHS confirmed her career path.
She took training at Marvel Beauty School, Saskatoon. Her first job was in the city and she was so frustrated having to do cleanup for other stylists while it took time to build up her own clientele! Others with curly hair soon appreciated her personal experience and advice, to control curls and frizz!
She especially enjoyed doing kids and baby’s first haircuts, weddings and graduations…..honored to be part of special occasions. For family events, that meant there was often little time for her own hairdo! In the 80’s, she needed lots of time to create that sky-high backcombed ‘do!
Earning a journeyman’s certificate was a highlight and the time was right to open a salon, in her home, in 2001. Lana changed careers when her children were grown and now uses her life experience as a Family Support worker.
Guess what? Cassie Bradford’s dolls weren’t safe either! Most needed a “just a trim”. Her friends and cousins also allowed her to practice French braiding, up-do’s and color with Kool-Aid!
Cassie attended Marvel Beauty School, Regina and was employed in Regina and Yorkton before starting her home based salon in 2009. With a young family and 20 years of experience, Cassie is ready to re-claim her home and “go out” to work. She is excited to open her new place of business, on Commercial Street, and knows her senior clientele will appreciate a convenient location, with no stairs.
We all share best wishes for a new beginning, downtown!