Meet Catherine and her crew. They cut and they care (5 photos)

A native of Manitoulin Island, the Sault's Catherine O’Donnell began her career as a hairstylist in 2000, or, as she says with a smile, “the turn of the century, when the world was supposed to end.”

Catherine established her own salon, Catherine’s Hairstyling and Barbershop, at 373 McNabb Street in 2007.

Previously, that building housed other hair salons over the past 60 years, including Anita and Tony’s and Armando’s Hair Castle.

Including Catherine herself, the current salon has six hairstylists.

They not only cut hair, but also care for the community.

Catherine and her crew participate in two fundraisers a year, one in the fall for the Alzheimer Society of Sault Ste. Marie & Algoma District’s Coffee Break (she estimated her shop has raised approximately $3,000 for the Society) and a separate fundraiser of Catherine’s own every spring.

“We do it every March or April, where for one day, 100 per cent of the proceeds (from haircuts, styles and shaves, but no chemical services such as perms or highlighting) go to a charity of choice.”

Catherine’s salon has held special fundraiser days for The Kidney Foundation, ALS, Sault Area Hospital’s CT scan drive, and this year, the Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen Community Centre.

“Right now we’re doing a drive for the Soup Kitchen as well because after Christmas they still have a need for food and most of their supplies have been considerably depleted because of the Christmas season…we’re collecting canned goods (at the salon), even hats and mitts if they have any extra to spare at this time of year,” Catherine said.

“The community has given to me on a daily basis (through regular customers) so I feel a couple of times a year me giving back is the least I can do.”

“The age range of our customers is basically from newborn to 94. We help anybody who wants their hair taken care of.”

Catherine and her staff love to experiment with their own hair, both in style and in colour, and will endeavour to deliver just about any hairstyle and/or hair colour a customer could possibly want. 

While catering to all ages, Catherine smiled and described herself as “the youthful blue-haired lady…we like the diversity, honestly.”

“We like the diversity of every age group, and it’s amazing, you wouldn’t believe the older gentlemen who appreciate our hair colours and are quite tickled by them, but yes, we definitely do enjoy the younger crowd and doing the fashion colours, anything on the rainbow spectrum as well as the natural colours.”

Customers with special needs are welcome.

“If you have any children with special needs such as autism, they tend to really enjoy it here. We’re patient, we have toys for them, we take our time and don’t rush with them. We’re into quality, not quantity,” Catherine said.