Norris hangs up her scissors
After 45 years as a hair stylist Pat Norris is hanging up her scissors and her smock and retiring from the profession she has practiced since high school.
"I'll miss it," Norris said. "What I'll miss most is working with the public. You get to know your clientele and it's not just their hair. You get involved with their lives, you see their kids grow from little kids to adults. You get to know what they are going through and you are part of it."
In the 45 years she has been a stylist Norris hasn't worked far from where she does now. She started on the southwest corner of the square in the basement of what used to be Flory's drug store.
"In June of '65 I went to work at Vanity Aire, it was in the basement of Flory's drug store," Norris said. "I trained as an apprentice, I didn't go to beauty school, it takes longer to be an apprentice. I was licensed in '67."
When she started at Vanity Aire Norris was still in high school under a program that let her out of school early to go to work.
"I was still in high school when I started," Norris said. "The last year I was in high school I'd go to school a half a day and then go work a half a day."
Norris worked, first at Vanity Aire then at Hair Affair, until her first child was born in 1977 then took some time off and came back in 1979.
"I came back in June of '79," Norris said. "Then I went to the Clipper Station and worked there until 15 years ago when the building was sold. Suzanne (Melton) bought the equipment and I've been here at the Mane Clippers since then."
Norris' plans were moved up by the decision of Melton to close the shop.
"I had planned to retire in May but Suzanne decided to close the shop, so my last day will be Friday," Norris said.
In her 45 years Norris has seen a lot of styles come and go -- and come into fashion again.
"It's funny but a style will come back in and someone will say 'Oh, look at the new style,' and you just think 'It's not new,' but that's just the way it is, times change," Norris said. "When I first went to work we didn't use blow dryers or curling irons. We used scissors for awhile, then everything we did was with razors and then it was back to scissors."
Norris said that while some customers come in every week, which used to be the norm, today many customers come in at much longer intervals.
"People used to come in every week, but that's getting to be less and less now," Norris said. "Now we usually see them every four to six weeks. Oh, there are some that still come in every week but now they are looking for styles that they can wash every day and just go on with things."
Norris said that a trust is built between a stylist and their customers over time and the customers often defer to a stylist's advice.
"When we have someone new we talk to them so we get to know what they like and don't like," Norris said. "When someone you know comes in they just get in the chair and they trust you. They know you know what to do and they trust you to do what's right."
Over the years Norris has seen her share of bad hair days, she told of one woman who let her friend cut her hair.
"She came in and she was wearing a scarf," Norris said. "She took it off and she had some bangs but her hair was just about an inch long all over her head. There was just nothing we could do but let her go home and let it grow out."
Norris said she has mixed feelings about retiring, and so do her customers.
"I've had lots of people who are upset and say 'You can't do that,' but it's time," Norris said. "I'm looking forward to retiring; but I'll miss coming in and seeing everyone."