Street salon a hit in downtown Saskatoon

A small gesture from a downtown barber shop is making a big impression in Saskatoon.

Empire Barber and Beauty Co., formerly Ethos Salon Spa, made the best of a slow July 30 afternoon by offering free haircuts on the street outside its new location at 2nd Avenue and 21st Street.

Owner Crystal Dahl figured it would be the perfect way to introduce the new business to the neighbourhood.

“We really have a bird’s eye view of what the community is and the happenings going on around us,” Dahl said of her second floor business. “One of the girls and I decided to take our chairs out and meet our community, people that we’ve walked by for 20 years.”

After a short while, the chair began to garner a crowd as business people with a spare moment were standing next to homeless people asking for haircuts as Ashley Wiebe worked away with her shears in-hand.

“The main thing that I heard is how tough it is to live out there. It was really eye-opening for me because I had no idea what it was like living in downtown Saskatoon like that,” Wiebe said.

“All I heard was what people told me, pretty much the typical stereotypes for living downtown.”

The profound experience of cutting homeless people’s hair really changed the opinion Wiebe had of the people she walks by nearly every day.

“Everyone has a different story and not all of them are what people think,” she said.

Empire’s social media accounts chronicled the afternoon filled with laughter and heart-wrenching stories. As the clicks and shares racked up, Dahl couldn’t believe the support the shop received.

“It drew a crowd, it was quite surprising actually. People starting taking pictures… it was kind of viral,” Dahl said.

Wiebe and Dahl said the positive experience has already got the pair planning another salon street session.

“Be a day-maker. Go make someone’s day and give your heart more than anything else,” Dahl said.