Eddie and Jim Mota-Dalianis are business owners on a mission to make Barrie more hip.
They bring their expertise in marketing and styling to HeadQuarters Hair Salon on Dunlop St. East.
And they look pretty darn hip themselves.
"I don't know if we're too hip for Barrie," laughs Eddie. "I think Barrie needs it. Barrie needs trendy. Barrie needs something a little different and I think that's what we are."
Eddie and Jim opened the tiny, shy of 400 square feet shop about two years ago after both working in Toronto for decades.
Jim is a stylist who also taught for 20 years and Eddie is the marketing whiz.
"Bringing a new business downtown is tough, beyond that offering something different and unique, competing with other salons downtown," explains Eddie. "You have to be a little unique. You have to have a certain type of look and an edge to stand out from the rest."
Their clients range in age from 5 years to 70, and are split evenly between men and women, adventurous and traditional.
"We have those that are completely edgy and want something crazy in terms of cut and colour but then we have very conservative business types, bankers and police officers," Eddie said.
Services cover just about every spectrum of women's styling from colour, cuts and highlights.
For men the services include barbering and straight razor shaves, in addition to cuts of every kind.
The salon also offers manicures and waxing.
And it's just Jim and Eddie.
"We're two guys that do everything," said Jim. "I love the fact that I can be as creative as I want to be. Being a business owner you have more freedom to help your clients achieve what they want to achieve. I can do more now than I ever could."
The salon recently launched its own line of 100 percent natural products developed right here in Barrie.
The men's line has a classic rum and cedar scent and some products are geared specifically to the shop's beard clientele, including a beard wash and conditioner.
The women's line, which includes shampoos and conditioners, has a citrus and vanilla bean scent.
Jim admits it may feel a bit intimidating when you walk inside the shop, like any service provider's space, but the friendly vibe of the owners is instantly welcoming.
"Its just an environment that we want people to be happier than when they came in and giving them that extra little bit of attention that they need that day."
Jim and Eddie have been married for 11 years and when they're not at the salon, two children and two grandchildren happily consume their spare time.
They laughingly say the shop is pretty much their first home.
"We really do treat everybody like family that comes in," Eddie said. "Most of our clientele, we hug them, they hug us. When people come in, in the first few minutes they feel that."
HeadQuarters Hair Salon is located at 47 Dunlop Street East.
www.headquartershairsalon.ca
