SEATTLE — Hidden behind tall stalks of bamboo along Fremont Ave you'll find the hair salon/home of Richard Starks. But if you want to find him don't look inside the house. He has moved his station into his front yard.
"One day I was sitting here on my living room couch and I had my French doors open and I looked out at my yard and I thought I'd open it up to people who might be not so ready to be out in the public," said Richard.
"I created something that is zenful, quiet, peaceful. Nothing too hectic because our world is pretty crazy right now."
Like many stylists, Richard found himself out of work when his salon was shut down.
"With this whole pandemic thing happening everything stopped. It was like the rug was ripped out from me."
But now he's found his footing cutting hair among his many plants and trickling fountains.
"A client of mine said it was like traveling somewhere and being somewhere on vacation and that made him feel good and happy and feel like they've been somewhere but it only took 15 minutes to get here."
For clients like Joyce Cassidy, Richard's new setup is even better than before.
"It's such a relief to have my hair dried out in the sun in the cooler air," said Joyce.
And it's also a relief for Richard to be working again.
"They've been coming in with these huge heads of hair! My pail bucket is full. More so the usual."
So even after this pandemic passes Richard's clients hope his garden salon is here to stay.
"They ask me I'm going to do this next year and as a matter of fact my heads rolling right now if I can enclose it and do it for the fall."
Richard's || 4408 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 || 206-633-4247
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