In Business: Bemidji’s The Hair Affair Celebrates Anniversary of Move and Expansion

The Hair Affair, a salon in downtown Bemidji, recently celebrated the two-year anniversary of its move and expansion to the former T. Juan’s restaurant with a gathering that brought together several local, women-owned businesses.

Two years ago, hairstylist Calyn Lalone decided that she wanted to make the jump from just cutting hair to providing Bemidji with the whole salon experience. Her shop, The Hair Affair, expanded to become Bemidji’s first all-in-one salon.

“I think it’s important to have so many of these services offered in one place just because everybody likes that one-stop shop,” explained cosmetologist Kelsey Thompson, who operates her own business at The Hair Affair. “And you never know when you’re going to want to do another service until you see it done on somebody. Get your haircut, you can get your lashes [done], you can get your nails, and then you’re good to go. There’s no running around.”

Not only does The Hair Affair offer the whole salon experience for the customers, but it also collaborates with other small businesses and allows them to operate in its building.

“Small communities like this, solely usually thrive off of small business owners,” said The Hair Affair owner/hairstylist Calyn Lalone. “So if we don’t keep supporting each other, eventually we won’t be here. So the more I can push out there and tell people like, ‘Hey, you should go see this person for that, or this person for that,’ that’s only going to build my business because I’m willing to help build other people’s businesses.”

Every business that operates under The Hair Affair’s roof is not only employee-owned, but women-owned as well.

“We have a lot more women-owned businesses here downtown than I have ever noticed,” said esthetician Aurora Anderson, who owns Aurora Esthetics. “I lived downtown, and it’s just fun to see.”

“I want to grow and I want to support other people and have their businesses grow as well,” emphasized Lalone. “We just want to keep helping other women thrive in this town.”

On top of empowering women to work together and grow their businesses, the goal of the salon is to also empower every guest who walks through the doors.

“Making people feel beautiful, be comfortable,” said Anderson when asked what her favorite part of working in cosmetology is. “Know that it’s not just you, that you’re looking at yourself and you feel like, ‘Wow, I feel like I don’t like this, this, and this in my skin.’ And it’s like, let’s walk through it. Let’s talk through it. Let’s see what we can change, what we can accomplish, and do this together.”

“My favorite aspect would probably be just being able to make either the smallest difference or the biggest difference for somebody,” added Thompson. “The slightest difference and the biggest difference really just can change a whole person’s life.”