Sharkey's Cuts for Kids Grand Opening Shakes The Town

Elk Grove Children’s Hair Salon, “Sharkey’ s Cuts For Kids,” located 8246 Laguna Blvd #360, had their grand opening on Thursday February 24. This led into a weekend long frenzy of festivities, including discounted haircuts, mini manicures, and video gaming. Kids could choose haircut stations with a variety of themes, including princesses, firefighters, Disney, police and more.

Photo Credit: Connie Austin (L) and Trinity Haynes (R)

The company’s slogan, “Where Fun Rules,” sets the tone for guests as they wait, and while they get a haircut. Owner, Connie Austin, strives to see everyone having fun, from the staff to the kids, as much as possible. Austin feels that customers should get more than what they would from a conventional haircut because their aim is to create a lasting experience for children.

“When adults get their haircut in salons, they want to leave feeling refreshed. We aim to please and give that same feeling to the kids here.”
-Connie Austin, Owner of Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids

Furthermore, when serving kids age 0-14, adapting to the growing needs of children is a continuous mission. However, they have developed unique methods that address a variety of ages and stages.

Atmosphere

Bright colors, stage lights, and smiling eyes greet patrons when first walking into the salon. The friendly, gleeful sharks on the wall are accompanied by a play area setting. Alongside tiny toys and accessories were the haircut and beauty stations. Full or partial makeovers could be requested with parental approval.

Stations

Photo Credit: Trinity Haynes (L) and Connie Austin (R)

Tiny car rows lined the walls; Each station had corresponding miniature televisions playing cartoons, and movies. Patiently, kids sat and watched as their hair was styled. Some kids especially liked playing in their cars. One parent shared her son’s delight in the police car that he sat in.

“He usually cannot stand to get his haircut, but this time he was patient and excited. His brother is a Police Explorer for Elk Grove so he loves Police.”
-Veronica Quintinar, Parent

Although it can take a while to get a child comfortable in the chair, the stylists aim to comfort them throughout their visit. Comfort may also include getting sparkled hair and barrettes as seen in the photo on the right.

Parental Appeal

Sharkey’s strives to prioritize safe experiences; after each haircut, a meticulous cleaning process is done to limit the spreading of germs. In addition, a range of all inclusive washes, cuts, blow drys and styles can be given; they even offer tween makeovers and host private parties.

As an added bonus, the staff is diverse, all possessing unique backgrounds in child care. Brittany, a stylist, has experience with kids on the spectrum as she’s cared for kids in her own family with special needs. She understands that some children may have a variety of sensory issues, so knowing about the triggers has helped her calm children down in overwhelming situations.

“Knowing that it’s not their fault and vocalizing problems can be difficult, so realizing what may be bothersome is helpful.”
-Brittany Brown, Stylist

Importantly, accommodating different needs is no problem for this hardworking staff. A parent’s visit is just as important as the child’s.

Children’s Experience

Overall, creating a calming experience in a sometimes chaotic atmosphere seems to be the main focus. Providing a unique angle to getting a haircut captivates the imagination of their customers. From cartoons to Netflix, and even sports channels, all ages are sure to be satisfied. Furthermore, each child is given a lollipop and balloon after their visit. In the end, parents can feel happy that they helped to create a positive, long lasting encounter at the hair salon.

Sharkey’s in the Community

In their efforts to support the community, Sharkey’s donates a percentage of each haircut to local organizations. This includes giving sponsored cuts to foster youth before their adoption day. Although Sharkey’s has always donated to local charities, this was a selling point for Connie to invest in the franchise.