17 Years at The Cabinet: It’s About So Much More Than Hair
Sometimes we say that number out loud and honestly, it’s hard to believe.
On August 5, 2009, we opened the doors to The Cabinet Salon at 577 Queen Street West. We were two best friends with a big idea, a lot of excitement and no idea what the next 17 years would bring. That fall, we officially celebrated with our opening party, never imagining just how much life, work and history would unfold from that first year.
Looking back, it’s funny how little of the story is actually about hair. Of course, there has been a lot of great hair. Thousands of cuts, countless colours, keratin treatments, bobs, blondes, curls, coppers and major transformations.
But what we remember most are the people. The conversations, the friendships and the relationships that have grown over the years. We have had the privilege of watching our clients move through so many different chapters of their lives, from new jobs and relationships to weddings, babies, moves, celebrations, losses and everything in between. We have watched people change, grow and find their way through different seasons of life, and somehow, we have been lucky enough to be part of so many of those moments.
That is the part of owning a salon that you don’t always understand when you’re starting out. You think you’re building a business. You don’t realize you’re building a community.
17 Years of Change
A lot has changed since 2009. The neighbourhood has changed. The industry has changed. The way people work, communicate and experience a salon has changed. And The Cabinet has grown and changed along the way too.
Over the years, we have continued to rethink what a salon can look and feel like. We moved to a gratuity-free model, welcomed new stylists, supported our team, worked with local artists and found more ways to give back to the community around us.
There have been difficult decisions, unexpected challenges, long days and moments when we wondered what the future would look like. The pandemic changed the way we thought about business and community almost overnight. There have been moments of uncertainty and plenty of lessons along the way.
Reflecting on the past 17 years, some of the most important parts of The Cabinet were shaped by those moments. They taught us to adapt and to be willing to rethink the way we do things. The things that mattered to us in 2009 still matter today, but how we bring those values to life continues to evolve. After 17 years, we have learned that standing still isn’t really an option, and maybe that is part of what has kept things interesting.
Still Doing It Together
One of the things that makes 17 years feel especially meaningful is that we are still here. Still best friends. Still business partners. Still talking about the salon. Still thinking about how we can make it better. Still occasionally disagreeing about how to do that. 😂
We couldn’t have known on August 5, 2009, what this partnership would become. We just knew we wanted to build something together.
There is something pretty special about having someone beside you who remembers the beginning. Someone who was there for the first day, the first client, the big wins, the hard days, the unexpected turns and all the ordinary days in between.
Seventeen years later, we are incredibly proud of what that little idea became. But more than anything, we feel incredibly lucky that we’ve had the chance to build this dream together, as best friends.
To Everyone Who Has Been Part of The Cabinet
If you have sat in one of our chairs, worked alongside us, recommended us to a friend, bought a product, supported one of our community initiatives, shared our work, celebrated a milestone with us or simply walked through our doors, thank you. You are part of this story!
The Cabinet isn’t just the building at 577 Queen Street West. It’s the people who have filled it, the memories that have been made here and all the little moments that, over time, became something much bigger than we ever imagined.
Some of you have been with us since the beginning. Some of you found us along the way. Some of you have worked beside us and gone on to new chapters of your own. Every one of you has left a mark on our journey.
That is something we will never take for granted.
So here’s to 17 years.
Seventeen years of hair, friendship, creativity, change, challenges, laughter, community and an incredible number of conversations.
We don’t know exactly what the next chapter will look like, and after 17 years, we’ve learned not to try to predict it too much.
The best parts of this journey have often been the ones we couldn’t have planned. And we can’t wait to see what comes next.
Thank you for being part of our story,
Alex and Emma
