Kerrisdale Hair Bar

Look closely when travelling along West Boulevard just north of West 41st Avenue, and you may catch sight of a one-person circus act. Sharen Lee owns Kerrisdale Hair Bar and is also an amateur juggler in her spare time.

Many Kerrisdale residents will remember Economy Barber Shop, which previously operated in the space for 40 years. In October 2019, Sharen bought the business and transformed it into Kerrisdale Hair Bar, serving men and women of all ages.

In January 2020, she modernized the shop with new paint and vinyl flooring; five weeks later, COVID-19 hit, and the business was forced to close as part of the mandated lockdown.

Who can forget pandemic hair? It was an issue for many; some took matters into their own hands and snipped their locks, while others grew their hair and waited for salons to reopen. Kerrisdale Hair Bar opened in May 2020, and business was brisk for two months. Sharen confides, “From August through the winter, it slowed down completely.”

As a new business owner, she felt the stress of having a small client base. Sharen says, “Rebranding from a barber shop to a unisex hair salon with a pandemic thrown into the mix was challenging. The former clientele was 95% men, and the barbers who continued to work at the Hair Bar were only doing two to three cuts per day in the fall and winter of 2020.”

Sharen grew up in Kerrisdale, and her father continues to reside in their house on West 49th Avenue. Ironically, she was talking to a customer about her childhood residence, and they made the connection that he previously lived in their house.

Sharen says, “It’s an evolving neighbourhood. I love the diversity of the area. I love seeing bubble tea and Vietnamese food alongside older businesses. It’s a safe community to raise a family and it was a great place to grow up.”

As a child, Sharen loved to dance; she dreamt of being a hip-hop dancer but saw no opportunities in Vancouver. Instead, she went into hair styling and has worked in the industry for 16 years.

I learnt and practiced juggling so I wouldn’t go crazy while business was slow.

During the pandemic, she would practice her dance moves. “I decided to attract customers with my dancing so people wouldn’t see a quiet salon,” she says. In addition to dancing, she incorporates three juggling balls and a hula hoop while balancing a bottle of water on her head; she continues this tradition when she is not busy cutting hair.

My juggling is not something you would expect to see in this neighbourhood.

At events like Carnival Days, Sharen juggles, and people will approach her to find out what she’s doing. This is a natural launching pad for her to tell them about her salon. She says, “It’s a location that is not highly visible, and not everyone is aware that the business has changed.”

Kerrisdale Hair Bar provides haircuts, smoothing, highlights, colouring, and perms. Sharen mentions that the classic perm, which was once commonly associated with older women, has become trendy with teenage boys. She attributes this to the influence of K-pop (Korean popular music) performers.

Kerrisdale Hair Bar uses non-toxic, plant-based cruelty-free products.

A second round of renovations is in the works. The plan is to make it hipper and give it a facelift to attract a younger clientele.

The industrious salon owner works seven days a week. Kerrisdale Hair Bar only closes on Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day.

We offer the most affordable pricing in Kerrisdale.

Sharen believes in complete transparency with customers. If they are unsatisfied, she likes to hear about it to make corrections. It is gratifying to hear people remark, “This is exactly what I wanted!”

She prefers clients bring pictures to show their desired hairstyle or colour; it removes the guesswork and results in a satisfied customer.

Attending workshops to further her knowledge about cuts and colouring is a perk of the job. Sharen has met new hair stylist friends at these sessions and is eager to attract younger stylists to work at her shop.

Customer reviews are very positive. A client comments, “Sharen has an awesome talent as a juggler. This talent is only surpassed by her ability to create a professional haircut. You may find her outside indulging in her talent for balls in the air. But when the scissors replace balls in the air and focus on your hair, you can expect the best haircut you’ve ever had.”

In addition to receiving a top-notch hairstyle, clients leave smiling, knowing a percentage of their reasonably priced haircut is donated to the SPCA.

Kerrisdale Hair Bar

5665 West Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6M 1Z6

Phone 605-724-9351

Story by Sarah Gordon (June 2023) @PALLAMEDIA