Gender-neutral hair salon has the WoW factor
WOW Bar was known to many as an inclusive venue which embraced the LGBTQ+ community.
For friends Mandie Rees and Paige Jones, the bar was their job, social life, and family – so when it closed last year, it left a hole in their lives.
But now the pair are hoping to continue the legacy of WoW and its ethos – with their inclusive gender-neutral salon.
Mandie, 46, worked as a manager at WoW for seven years. In that time, she became close to bar staff, drag queens, and in particular WoW’s owner Vicky.
When Vicky was diagnosed with cancer, she told Mandie to pursue her dream of opening her own hair salon. She even insisted that she take on the name of the bar to keep its legacy alive.
Mandie said: “I trained in hairdressing 35 years ago. I came out of it because I was homophobically bullied.
“I went into care work and teaching for years.
“Then I was made redundant from teaching so I got a job at WoW for the summer. That summer turned into seven years.
“I knew I was getting too old for the nightclub game so went back to college and retrained while I was still working at WoW.”
Mandie, 46, and her business partner and best friend Paige, 22, made the decision to open their salon over a Sunday roast.
Paige said: “I wanted to be a midwife. I spent all of high school making sure I got good grades. I left college with As and A*s, but never got into uni.
“So, I started working in WoW Bar part time. I never thought I would own a salon. And I never thought my best friend would be 46.”
Paige and Mandie hit it off as soon as they met at WoW Bar. Soon, the two of them, plus Vicky, became like family.
When Vicky died in February, it affected Paige and Mandie greatly.
Paige said: “It was really hard when Vicky passed away. Because there’s noone quite like her, there’s no-one to fill what you’ve lost. We take pride in being able to carry on her legacy and provide such a safe space.”
Mandie added: “She was a shoulder and a listening ear for everyone on the scene. Even when she was sick, she was still helping everyone else out.
“She has left a massive void. The scene is not what it was with no WoW bar and no Vicky. She has left a hole in a lot of people’s hearts.”
When they opened WoW Hair and Beauty Bar on Pen-Y-Lan Road, Cardiff, last October, they knew that it would be a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.
The pair pride themselves on being open and non-judgemental to clients. With completely gender-neutral pricing and services, the salon aims to respect clients regardless of gender.
Mandie said: “There’s not many salons that are gender neutral. The products are still men’s products or women’s products.
“A lot of non-binary clients and lesbian girls will still get refused from barbers. It makes no difference – I spend the same amount of time and use the same amount of product.”
Mandie herself has experienced discrimination, being turned away from numerous barbers because of her gender, despite wanting a short cut.
Just one year since opening, they believe the salon has already become a safe space for those who need someone to talk to.
Paige said: “We are a safe space. Whether it’s mental illness you are suffering from or if you’ve had a bad day, you can come here and get stuff off your chest. Even if you just want to pop in for a cuppa, our door is always open.
“And if you are struggling with your sexuality, it’s somewhere you can come and talk about anything that’s happening in your life without being judged – you will be heard.”
The salon already has lots of regular customers, including a number of transgender clients. Mandie remembers helping cutting one client’s hair on the first day that she was out as a woman.
Mandie said: “I cut her hair and she cried. And I cried – and I don’t cry very often.”
The pair have experienced obstacles – such as the nation going into ‘firebreak’ lockdown just days after opening, and being targeted by burglars.
But despite setbacks, they are excited for the future.
Paige said: “For every bad day we have, there are 10 clients who make it worthwhile.”
With their salon now successful and busy, Mandie and Paige have plans to open a training academy for young people, and also hope to expand to a second location.