Hair salons have long been integral third spaces for communities in the capital, places where customers can enjoy a therapeutic chat alongside their blow-dry. But in recent years, many salons have increasingly focused on turning chairs in favour of offering a full-blown experience. Progressive Dalston salon Salt offers an alternative. Since opening in 2020, it’s been delivering a more personalised approach, with longer appointment times, gender-neutral cuts, carefully curated playlists, a contemporary wine list and evening events.
Fast forward five years and with a growing customer base, it has just opened a second salon, on Borough’s Stoney Street.
Entering the first floor reception feels akin to arriving at a club in Berlin – partly thanks to the bespoke steel speaker system by London-based loudspeaker designer Friendly Pressure lining a wall.
For founder John Paul Scott, making sound central to the space was inevitable. “I always thought it would be cool to elevate the sonic experience of salons to a new level,” he tells Broadsheet.
Scott’s background is in both music and hair. He started out working in high-end salons and backstage at fashion events in his twenties, while DJing and running club nights on the side. “These experiences informed me a lot. I love bringing people together,” he says. “I want my spaces to be a place to connect as well as care. It’s more important now than ever.”
Beyond the acoustics, the design is stripped-back. Industrial windows flood the salon with light, which is reflected back on stainless steel fittings, and retro chairs accent the space. “I’m a fan of considered minimalism – a lot of the references were galleries and materials, nothing salon related,” says Scott.
Everything in the space chimes with this considered approach. There are products from sustainable hair care companies K18 and Davines, which look as good on the shelf as they feel on your locks. Plus, there’s a menu of biodynamic wines for customers to unwind with as they’re styled.
Importantly, a large part of Salt’s identity is that all its stylists can cut every hair type and texture. “I’m from London and my first haircuts as a teenager were on my Black friends – being an inclusive company was and is always at the top of the list for me,” says Scott. This approach also includes regular female-staff-only Hijab Sunday sessions.
If you want to turn up the volume and let your hair down after hours, the space is also available to rent. “It’s multifunctional: hair salon by day, education space the next [day], and dance floor by night,” says Scott.
Salt
13 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
07354 836501
Hours:
Tue to Fri 9.30am–7pm
Sat 9.30am
