AMHERST — A hair salon forced out from its downtown Amherst building after six years recently reopened on lower Main Street, but limited space there has prompted its founder to launch her own new studio near the Emily Dickinson Museum.
Previously situated at 55 South Pleasant St., Red Door Salon moved after the property was sold for $400,000 in May by its Connecticut owner, Amherst-South Pleasant LLC, to developer Barry Roberts. Roberts has since submitted plans to take down the 19th-century building and build a five-story mixed-use building there.
The 835 Main St. site to which Red Door Salon moved, though, is not big enough for the four stylists and the receptionist who worked downtown. This caused salon manager McKenzie Cooke to become its new owner, as Kirsten Barnes, with 30 years in the hair salon industry, branches off on her own. Barnes is opening Downtown Hair Studio at 321 Main St., at the corner of Dickinson Street.
The changes are challenging to those who have run the salon. Cooke said she is facing challenges of having to rebook canceled appointments and, to make up for those losses, is using a “no days off” method to catch up.
While Cooke takes over and keeps the team together to offer continuity, Barnes’ decision to move to a smaller location and to work solo comes from her 24 years of service in Amherst offering haircuts, styling and custom coloring.
— Scott Merzbach