Stephan

My name is Stephan... Not, Stefan... I hate that... sounds like a hairdresser. Nor is it, as some people seem to think, ‘Scott - I don't know where the hell they get that!

Originally from Glasgow, I am, apparently, an irascible Scotsman - although, personally, I think I'm a delight.

I studied the art of hairdressing at the Southern School of Hairdressing in London, England in the last century. Hands on, heavily supervised training involved all the theory any excellent school bores you to tears with–things like physiognomy (what the hell's that, I hear you ask? Well, only one of the more important aspects of hair design).

For all intents and purposes, it’s about your face shape. There’s seven of them don’t you know. Although, if you're intuitive like me, it does have many other applications.

All aspire to being oval with the right hairstyle... you try doing that with a diamond shaped face. But essentially that's why some styles you might love on someone else might not be suited for you. Get over it. But outside of psychoanalysing you, I feel hair should match your lifestyle and general disposition, not just your jawline.

Of course, there was all the boring stuff too, like chemistry, hair anatomy blah, blah, blah, but stuff I actually find very useful today in explaining, for instance, just why I won’t bleach out your dyed black home job. (Who knew?)

The point is, you can be assured you will receive the very best of my sanctimonious knowledge. Indeed, many clients who tell me they bounced around place to place for years always seem to come back here to get another earful. Huh!

(There will be a test, so bring a pen).

My first job was in London’s famous Oxford Street, in Essanelle, the sister store to the Essanelle in Harrods. Thereafter, I opened a small business before I took a job in world wide tourism that was way too good to resist, so that took me around the world and eventually led me to Canada.

After working for twelve years at Haircats Salon in KItsilano, I opened the Prickly Scot Hair Lounge in 2005 by taking a huge leap to come over to the east side. Due to the support of my loyal clientele this was immensely successful. The business went from strength to strength and the Prickly Scot Hair Lounge enjoys an excellent local reputation today–and is a great alternative to a downtown or west side salon right here on the east side's doorstep.

It has been said, since I opened my business, I may have lost some of that prickliness I was so famed for by lesser beings who tend to confuse British straightforwardness with rudeness–incidentally, the very reason I called my business what I did–but I guess those people just got me on a good day. No matter what, though, you always just get me; genuine. Love it or hate it, you’ll always get an honest opinion here. There's no Walmart smile–that kind of thing just makes me puke.

Really, if you want, just kick off your shoes; its that kind of place. What a concept!

I actually care about what I do. I honestly take great pride in my work. But I really enjoy getting to know the person sitting in my chair... you’re probably nowhere near as interesting as I am, or done half the things I have, nonetheless, while here, you are always the second most important person in the room regardless of how boring your life is.

So... with this refreshing honesty that I don’t charge extra for, comes a high level of personal service in a relaxed and unpretentious environment where sometimes... just sometimes, mind you... you might get a complimentary cocktail to wash it all down with, to boot.