Though it may be cursed with a pretentious name, there’s nothing remotely ostentatious about Salon Boheme. Unlike other hair salons in Banker’s Hill, there’s no hipster soundtrack to the quiet din of faucets and clippers, no avant-garde magazines gracing the waiting-room table — just the idle chatter of Boheme founder Gregory Pearson and the latest headlines from Us Weekly and Marie Claire.
Decorum takes a backseat to reasonably priced, quality hairstyling at Salon Boheme. It isn’t unheard of that Pearson — a notorious perfectionist — stay past 10 p.m. on a Friday night to ensure his last client leaves satisfied. That kind of dedication can have its downsides, though: It’s equally common to wait up to 30 minutes into your appointment slot, so make sure you’ve got at least an hour to spare before stopping by.
Because Boheme just opened its doors this February, the salon hasn’t yet developed a steady stream of foot traffic, so walk-ins are usually accommodated.
If you can forgive the delay, the salon’s atmosphere is far more relaxed than the local Supercuts. Seeing as it is a smaller operation, only four barber chairs are necessary — one or two of which are typically vacant.
Men’s haircuts go for $30 and women’s for $45 — a little on the pricier side. But you get what you pay for. Pearson’s commitment to haircutting — which, he says, grew from his desire for a creative outlet in college — shows in his precise cuts. He does, however, recognize that not every college student has the trust fund to bankroll a pricey trim, and is running a series of promotions to make his services more affordable. With a referral, haircuts are currently half-off (tell him the Guardian sent you), and all hair-coloring appointments include a free cut.
For those who don’t mind a 15-minute walk through downtown, getting to the salon is a cinch on the UCSD Medical Center, Hillcrest shuttle, which runs Monday through Friday until about 9 p.m. For those less willing to trek the last leg of the trip from the shuttle stop, MTS Bus Route 3 can pick you up near the shuttle stop and drop you off just a block from the salon. Either way, Pearson can guarantee you’ll re-enter the La Jolla bubble a satisfied, freshly shorn customer.
