Sandi was a cut above the rest
HAIR SALON OWNER RETIRES AFTER 47 YEARS
“The time went so fast!” But after 47 years, Sandi Peterson has closed her hair salon.
After purchasing the business from her previous employer, she’s been welcoming generations of clients to Hair Loom on 13 Street North since 1972.
“I thought I’d do hair for a few years, and then...”
But Peterson soon changed her mind.
“I really enjoyed doing it,” and she enjoyed her customers even more.
“I had a good, loyal clientele,” she explains. “Some women would come in every week.”
Men’s haircuts were part of the business as well, although Peterson remembers when men — despite the dwindling number of barber shops in Lethbridge — were reluctant to have women take on that task.
But they became “regulars” as well. And while most of her clients were likely northside residents in the early years, Peterson says they stayed on after moving to southside or westside communities.
They’d also let friends know about Hair Loom.
“Word of mouth is your best advertising,” she says.
If those referrals meant meeting a friend while waiting for your appointment, so much the better.
And as her clients reached retirement age, “It was more like old home week” in the shop.
Like many Canadians, Peterson was happy to continue in business after reaching the 65-year milestone. More recently, she reluctantly decided keeping healthy should be her top priority. She put Hair Loom up for sale and thanked her last customers at the end of December.
“I really enjoyed their company” over all those years.
But although she’ll be free of the responsibilities of running a business, Peterson won’t be at loose ends. She and her husband Larry live west of Coalhurst, on an acreage they share with a variety of animals.
“I raise Pomeranians,” but there are horses to take care of as well.
“We have many more animals than we need,” she says.
Now Peterson is hoping for an early spring. “I love to ride,” she explains. But whatever the season, she adds, “There’s no lack of work.”
That was also true at Hair Loom, but Peterson says her staff members — who also stayed many years — made it all worthwhile.
“I was really blessed with that end of it,” she adds.
“I want to thank them a lot for all their loyalty.”
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