As its name suggests,
HiFi Hair, a salon in Minneapolis's Loring Park, has a musical bent.
The salon is approaching its one-year anniversary in the space that was once the lobby of the old Loring Playhouse.
Olson advertising company, which moved to the Ford Center downtown, previously occupied the 600-square-foot storefront space along with other parts of the historic Loring Corners building.
Salon owner Jonny Clifford (a.k.a. Jonny Zygomatic) says the theme was inspired by the fact that “The biggest influence fashion has always had is music,” adding, “Why not meld the two?”
A vintage jukebox, from which customers can choose songs, helps set the tone, while artwork in the salon is music-related. One wall is even dedicated to local music memorabilia. “Local music is a rich thing in this city and we would like to pay homage to it,” he says.
Additionally, the salon, which sponsors
The Current radio station, hosted a honky-tonk party last Saturday, which brought in around 125 people.
“The jukebox was filled with music that you would expect to hear in an old-school West Texas honky-tonk joint,” he says, adding that the salon “threw peanut shells on the floor and served pulled pork and keg beer.”
It wasn’t what one would expect from a traditional salon, he says.
This speaks to HiFi’s mission. A hair salon like this is a gathering place, he says. “It has a relaxed vibe. It’s a place where people can hang out.”
He stresses “good service and not a lot of attitude,” he says, adding, “Everyone should feel welcome.”
To create that kind of laid-back atmosphere, the place is furnished with salvaged antiques and comfortable chairs. Old dressers, doors, mirrors, and bookcases have been repurposed, resulting in unique hairdresser stations, he says.
The eclectic look fits in with the Loring Park neighborhood, “a wonderful bohemia in the middle of Minneapolis.”
For Clifford, a veteran in the industry, “This is one of the most fun projects I’ve ever had in my career.” He also hopes that the salon helps to breathe new life into Loring Park.
In a space that has long been used for offices, not retail, “I thought it would be nice to bring more traffic to the area here during the day,” he says.
Source: Jonny Clifford, owner, HiFi Hair
Writer: Anna Pratt