February 27, 2020
One of the joys of life in a small town is being able to find just what you need close to home. A handful of local, small businesses have managed to make a name for themselves by taking care of customers who also are considered neighbors.
So it’s not surprising that many folks in Hinesburg don’t go too far from home when they need a haircut, or are looking for some special-occasion styling or just to treat themselves.
A common theme among the proprietors was that their low-key, quiet, relaxing environments make their salons great places to both work and visit.
Community News Service checked in with some of these entrepreneurs to learn more about their businesses.
Best Little Hair House
Twelve years ago, Andrea Lyman joined the small handful of hair and nail salons in Hinesburg when she transformed her home into the Best Little Hair House.
“There aren’t too many salons in Hinesburg, so there is a large variety of people who come in. I have clients from Monkton, Starksboro, Bristol, Underhill, Jericho, South Burlington, Charlotte, Shelburne and Williston,” Lyman said.
Andrea has been self-employed in her home on Gilman Road for 12 years and will celebrate her 36-year career in cosmetology this May. She enjoys doing pedicures and all types of haircutting and coloring.
Born and raised in West Burke, Lyman is no stranger to small, close-knit Vermont communities. At 19, Andrea graduated with the O’Brien School of Cosmetology’s class of 1984, a school that used to be located on Main Street in Burlington. She then started her cosmetology career in Winooski and worked her way down to Shelburne before moving permanently to Hinesburg in 1989.
“My kids were raised here and went through the school systems and graduated CVU, and my oldest daughter is a hairstylist too. She manages SmartStyle, a salon in Williston. She has a lot of Hinesburg clientele too,” Lyman said.
Over the years of moving, Andrea steadily amassed a following of loyal clientele who have also become her very good friends.
“I have clients who have followed me from everywhere, they don’t mind driving. I do enjoy opening the door and having a friend walk in,” she said. “This way, it’s much more than just a job. It’s a great way to get to know your neighbors. It’s nice to get to work in a small town.”
Best Little Hair House
802-482-2948
Salon INK
Sonia Lamb runs Salon INK in a classic Vermont fashion — inside a classically built farmhouse.
“My husband built my salon. We rebuilt the farmhouse to give client customers service with a relaxing environment. Everything about us is unique and built with love,” Lamb said.
Lamb has had a career in cosmetology for 12 years and relocated to Hinesburg from Williston because she believed Hinesburg needed more options for hair styling. Lamb says that while she enjoys styling children and men, there are few salons in Hinesburg that cater specifically toward them.
“They need another option,” she said.
Lamb has operated the salon on Pond Road for nine years and credits the close-knit community of Hinesburg to her success as a hairstylist.
“It’s been amazing. The culture is great. Families have been reaching out excited to have another local business in the area,” she explained. “It helps when people stay local.”
During the week, Lamb is the sole stylist at work, but on weekends she has another stylist to meet the demand.
Salon INK
802-318-8926
Not a Hair Out of Place
Laurie Place has been styling hair out of her home salon for 30 years this year.
She says her clients have seen her children grow up, and often help her welcome her grandchildren off of the school bus. “It’s that homey, quiet, relaxing experience that my clients love,” she says.
The salon is called Not a Hair Out of Place which is a play on words in a few ways: after Laurie’s last name and also because it is located just off of Place Road.
The salon itself is in a little building off of her garage, offering a peaceful setting, free of the hustle and bustle of a big salon.
Place says she is happy to have found her niche and to have a loyal clientele that enjoys the peaceful one-on-one setting as much as she does.
Not a Hair Out of Place
802-482-3589
Element Nail Salon
Element Nail Salon is far more than just manicures and pedicures. It also offers a wide range of services, including facials, massages, and waxing.
Element has excellent reviews among its strong community of loyal customers, and even hosts special events from bridal showers to birthday parties with a bring your own food and beverage policy.
Element Nail Salon
90 Mechanicsville Road
802-482-7334
Hinesburg Hair Studio
Hinesburg Hair Studio is located in the town center and takes pride in being a family-friendly, inclusive salon. Not only do they offer a range of services, from cut and color to blowouts and styling, but they also focus on being a comfortable place for everybody. They welcome people of all ages, and are a nonjudgmental, friendly and positive community of hairstylists and customers who “regularly engage in salon-wide conversations, something that I think is unique about our salon,” says stylist Laura Bowditch. The salon’s Facebook page boasts playful images of the stylists in costume on Halloween — dressed as classic rockers from the big-hair band Kiss — and also promotes kids’ hair care classes run in collaboration with CVU.
Hinesburg Hair Studio
22 Commerce Street #10
802-482-2887