The Enterprise-Journal’s Home for the Holidays local shopping campaign is running through Christmas. Each day the newspaper will feature a participating merchant.
With repeat customers and plenty of walk-ins, the hair stylists at Shear Excellence have their hands full, and they couldn’t be happier.
Longtime stylist Hazel Baker operates the shop at 132 West Ave. S. in McComb. Joining Baker at the salon stations are Nicole A. Strawbridge, Jonathan Moran, Carrie Alford Dunaway, Kimberly Hicks and Lacie Alford.
Baker, who prefers letting her fellow stylists do most of the talking, said she’s very proud of the team she’s got.
“They all do excellent work,” she said. “We help each other because it’s close teamwork. ... There’s no reason not to be supportive of one another.”
Strawbridge, who’s been at Shear Excellence for four months, perhaps appreciates that teamwork more than other, longer established stylists.
“I’ve known Hazel since I was a little girl,” said Strawbridge, a newlywed of one year. “I learn something every day — new techniques and styles. ... I learn by watching their techniques, especially Miss Hazel. I could watch her for hours.”
Shear Excellence specializes in cuts and styling, perms, coloring, brow waxing, manicures and pedicures, as well as spray tanning.
The salon draws clients of all ages — from toddlers to senior citizens, female and male.
Strawbridge, who specializes in cuts, perms and color, worked for three years at a chain salon in McComb. She enjoys the environment at Shear Excellence.
“It’s more flexible and lenient,” she said, adding that many of her customers stayed with her. “A lot of them followed me here, and it’s been getting better, always gaining customers.”
Strawbridge said she also enjoys attending state and regional hair shows with her fellow stylists. At the shows, stylists pick up the latest hair care and style tips and are introduced to the latest hair care products and equipment.
“I like to see the adventurous things people will do with their hair,” she said.
The majority of Strawbridge’s clients, however, don’t go the drastic change route when they sit down for a cut.
A client may come in with a photo and say she wants her hair to look like the person in the picture. Sometimes stylists can pull that off, sometimes they can’t. Strawbridge said clients must take into consideration their hair thickness and other factors when making a request for a cut in a photograph.
Then there are those people who decide to bite the bullet and make a drastic cut from long to short. If they don’t like the short look, there’s not much a stylist can do but talk to them about styling and encourage them.
“Some people you can’t make happy,” Strawbridge said. “But when you talk to them, they usually ease up.”
At Shear Excellence the stylists are paired up in rooms — Baker and Dunaway, Strawbridge and Hicks, and Moran and Alford.
“But everybody gets along,” Strawbridge said. “We all help each other out.”
Shear Excellence is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. They are closed Sunday and Monday.
