Reverie owes its inception, in large part, to the Covid 19 Pandemic. It was a time of hard resets, and the beauty industry - hair salons, and stylists in particular, were brought to an abrupt standstill. The ensuing repercussions and lockdowns forced many people, and industries to take a hard look at how things were being done, which was mostly as they always had been - but not necessarily how they should, or could be.

That hard stop became an opportunity to reflect and restart on a new path. In our case, that meant one that veered away from dated and harmful practices - like charging different prices for genders, relying on tipping, and double booking clients. Salon culture had glorified the hustle and grind, leaving clients in a corner, working ourselves to a breaking point, and cracking jokes about living off of iced coffee and an almond. This meant not leaving time to stay on top of our education, or new concepts - not to mention our personal lives, or passions, leaving little left to give to our clients and communities.

Reverie is a bit of a holistic approach, and reaction to all of this. Founder, Julie Baribeau, decided that after 20+ years of doing it the old way, it was either time to leave the biz, or start fresh, and make a space for others, who felt like they wanted something else.

In starting fresh, Reverie Studio adopted a time based pricing structure. We do not believe in charging based on gender. The practice of charging for ‘men’s’ or ‘women’s’ haircuts has created barriers, and caused harm for folks who haven’t felt safe in a traditional salon environment. We believe in the transformative power of a haircut, and want everyone to be comfortable accessing a haircut that makes them feel incredible.

When we book our sessions, that time is for one client - we don’t double book or juggle other clients at the same time, allowing us to focus on our craft, and our clients.

We have eliminated gratuity, which has a dark history steeped in misogyny, racism and slavery. Tipping was used to control marginalized groups by forcing them to rely on the approval of those that they served, while their employers avoided paying a fair wage. This is not a legacy we wish to continue.

By removing gratuity, along with using time rather than charging by service or technique, we can create transparency, and eliminate guesswork and awkward moments for both the guest and stylist.

As we create a more supportive and predictable environment for our stylists to thrive, we open the doors to education, and fulfillment, ultimately delivering more to our guests, and elevating our craft.

We are committed to continuing to learn about the full spectrum of hair textures and fabrics, particularly those not taught in our industry schools, so that we can provide safe, and excellent treatments to all members of our community.

In short, we are just trying to do a little better. By creating a safe and welcoming environment, reducing our impact on the environment, and recommitting a percentage of our profits and time to causes we believe in, we hope to make an impact, and hopefully inspire others to do the same.