the gallery Hair salon & Creative studio

"It’s uncanny: Stress dissolves the minute you walk into this hair salon/art gallery/photo studio. You can always spot cofounder Joe Espinoza, across the room—he’s the majestically tall hairstylist and colorist with the cool hair (last time we visited it was a sophisticated navy blue). Some of Espinoza’s clients come to him for wild color, but he’s also a master of more conventional styles. There’s a bit of wellness woven in, too. You can choose to listen to meditation sounds while you get your hair or makeup done (there’s an in-house makeup artist)—they also sell essential oils, smelling salts, and the goop pink salt scalp scrub. Pieces from local artists cover the walls, energizing the entire space. “We dreamed of this place being a spot for local artists to show their work,” explains cofounder Drew DeMartinez. “Instead of just doing highlights and beach waves, we wanted to bring an element of art into hair, to make the salon experience less transactional and feel like more of a collective.” Images courtesy of Jenae Lien."