HairSlingers North salon isn't the 'Little Shop of Horrors.' It's the little salon of fun.
Shanna Sloyer
4 min read
HairSlingers North owner John Emslie cuts the hair of Bonnie Campbell Wednesday afternoon while other customers receive services from their new location 1835 N.W. Topeka Blvd.
A new salon in town where customers can get a haircut, meet a plant called Caroline, and enjoy an eclectic industrial vibe is now accepting appointments.
Owner John Emslie opened HairSlingers North, 1835 N.W. Topeka Blvd., at the beginning of March. He said he chose the North Topeka location because of the opportunities it presented.
“I’d been looking all over town, salon-wise, and there’s not a lot up here," he said. "It’s kind of a flooded market in Topeka. It felt right, and it felt like the right place to go.”
New location a preventative measure
HairSlingers offers cuts, color, highlights, perms, extensions, updos, facial waxing and more to men, women and children.
Emslie’s first location, 1406 S.W. 17th, opened in January 2009. After 13 years, there was some uncertainty about whether he would be able to keep that location open because of new ownership of the building and his lease agreement.
“I wasn’t convinced that I would get to keep that one,” he said. “I did this as a preventative measure.”
However, Emslie recently signed a three-year lease for the space at S.W. 17th and Washburn, allowing the original HairSlingers location to remain open as well.
With two salons to operate, he said he is now looking to fill stylist positions for both locations, with seven chairs open between the two.
“Everyone over here came from the other shop,” he said.
Tool chests second as supply carts
John Emsle has designed his Hairslingers hair salons to feature industrial, practical and fun aspects to his stylists work areas. Tool chests are used as supply carts, nice lights are available for customers to take photos with and quirky décor keeps customers' interests piqued.
Even though it previously operated as a salon, the space that HairSlingers North moved into required extensive renovations to bring it up to date. Emslie said the only thing that’s the same is the black-and-white-checked tile floor.
The interior décor is done in red and black accents, and everything from the light fixtures to the wall clocks is inspired by industrial metal, down to the tool chests that double as supply carts for salon implements.
Emslie’s wife, Stacey, is a graphic designer and creates all of the logos, signs and promotional materials for HairSlingers. She and Emslie are the masterminds behind HairSlingers’ two animated personas, Harry HairSlinger and Holly HairSlinger, who appear prominently on the walls of the new salon.
Caroline is Steve's younger sister
A replica of Audrey II from the musical "Little Shop of Horrors" is one piece of fun décor customers will see at Hairslingers.
Other points of interest include a realistic replica of Audrey II from the musical "Little Shop of Horrors," given to John as a gift, and a skeleton that greets customers from a potted plant at the entrance to the salon. Customers can also experience a soon-to-be-working antique soda machine and the addition of movie posters that line the walls between work stations.
Emslie purchased a ponytail palm when he opened the first salon on Washburn. That plant, endearingly referred to as Steve, is now over 6 feet tall. Now a HairSlingers tradition, Emslie recently bought a smaller version for HairSlingers North and dubbed it Caroline as a tribute to Neil Diamond’s hit song “Sweet Caroline.”
It’s all part of creating a brand, according to Emslie, and while nothing is in the works yet, he said he sees the potential for HairSlingers locations in each of the four corners of Topeka in the future. He said he enjoys working for himself, despite the challenges that can sometimes come with being the boss.
Business hours are flexible
“I get to make all the decisions," Emslie said. "I’ve said it for years, every time my lease would come up, ‘I’m not sure I can do this anymore.’ A friend told me that the only thing more difficult than doing this would be not doing this. It sucks, and it’s wonderful.”
The stylists at HairSlingers are also self-employed and set their own hours and pricing. As a result, the business hours on the front door are listed as “Open when we’re here and closed when we’re not.”
In the years that he’s been in business, Emslie has seen hair trends come and go, and he said one of the biggest that they’re currently seeing at HairSlingers is rainbow hair in colors like purple, green, yellow and blue. Not as prevalent when he opened the first location in 2009, Emslie chalks the popularity of bright colors to hair color technology, which he said continues to make strides every year.
“That’s been a big thing for us," he said.
When is the grand opening and ribbon cutting?
HairSlingers North will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting event from noon to 3 p.m. May 1. Stylists will be available to meet with clients and book appointments.
Emslie said he’s also working on some possible cross-promotions between HairSlingers and other North Topeka businesses in the area to offer raffles, discounts and activities.
“When you come in, that’s who we are," he said. "We don’t put on airs for anybody. We want to be able to serve everybody. We try to have fun, keep prices reasonable and competitive, and still make a living.”
