Hidden away on a residential block of Hayes between Masonic and Central, it's easy to miss Chop Shop. Aside from its large curtained storefront window and collection of dusty but thriving succulents outside, it blends in with the rest of the block. The shop's comfortable integration with the neighborhood may be due to its history: this little hair salon has been in the same spot for over 16 years.
Chop Shop first came to NoPa way back in 1998. Opened by Lisa Schuster and Von Bridges, the place was born mainly to house the pair's already-existing customer base. For the first few years in operation, Chop Shop mainly catered to people outside of the neighborhood who would travel in to visit their favorite stylists.
Back then, the area was more seedy than it is today, and the yellow apartment building across the street saw its share of drug deals and crime. Despite being a warm space for its clientele, at the time Chop Shop didn't really interface with the community.
A few years ago, that began to change. Current owner California Walsh has been cutting hair at Chop Shop for the past seven years, and during that time she's noticed not just a shift in the neighborhood, but in Chop Shop's role in the community. Its clientele began to evolve, and now the shop has about 50 percent neighborhood regulars, 50 percent people who travel from other areas in the city.
Nowadays, Chop Shop is its own little neighborhood hub. A few of their local customers have been regulars for more than seven years. They've watched many go through a series of life changes, from marriages to divorces, buying houses to having kids or grandkids. NoPa has become a popular neighborhood for families, and over the years the salon has seen a boost in kids' haircuts and families stopping in.
As for the five stylists on staff, they all hail from surrounding neighborhoods, and many are longtime San Francisco residents. Mora is a pro at curly hair. Rosalee loves ombre hairstyles and teaching students. And Jen likes helping new moms take care of themselves, feel pretty, and leave with an easy-to-maintain 'do.
In many parts of the city, it feels that buildings are getting taller and sidewalks wider. Here, though, the neighborhood feels the opposite. "I feel like it can't grow much bigger," Walsh told us. And sitting on the sofa at Chop Shop on a quiet NoPa afternoon, it does feel a little like we're stuck in a time capsule. Amidst the ongoing construction across the city, that's kind of nice.
If you're in need of a trim and want to keep it in the neighborhood, give Chop Shop a call at (415) 922-6846 or swing by the shop at 1714 Hayes Street (once block west of Central Coffee) to say hello.
