The Comb Over is trading in the trailer for a permanent location
May 14—BYRON, Minn. — Erin Mikkalson will soon be taking her mobile barbershop to a brick-and-mortar location in Byron.
Mikkalson, owner of The Comb Over, has been operating out of the modified ice shack since 2021 and after nearly three years, she is ready to move into a permanent location.
There were a few other factors that went into the decision to transition to a fixed location. The main concern was the inconsistency of having a mobile location. Mikkalson likes the self-reliance needed to own her own business and she couldn't do that when something needed fixing. She also did not like to deal the unpredictability of Minnesota's climate.
"In the morning you have to get gas for the generator," said Mikkalson. "You have to set it up, take it down. It was never fun in the rain or the snow. ... It was more if something was going to work or if it wasn't going to work. Things like that, I just wasn't willing to battle anymore."
Another big factor for Mikkalson making the decision was her co-worker and best friend, Leah Quam. She wanted to look out for Quam's best interest and having a permanent location allows her to get more hours in.
"We've worked together for eight years," said Mikkalson. "I worked by myself for the first year and then brought her in but we've been best friends for eight years since we started working together. So I have to look out for her best interests as well, not just my own."
Safety was another factor. Mikkalson and Quam never felt unsafe, but they never knew who was walking into the closed and small space.
"People that walk in with ankle bracelets on their leg and then it turns out to be that it was something so dumb, so petty," said Mikkalson. "I'm like, 'No, this person was the most humble individual that made the stupidest mistake, but they're not a bad person.' I think we just look in a different perspective, but at first we're in this little area trapped by ourselves. Safety was also a concern, but we never, I never felt that way."
She also gets to know her clientele very well. Mikkalson is likes to get to know her clients, but this can also lead to some interesting and deep conversations.
"People say that hairstylists are private therapists," said Mikkalson. "Sometimes you get the older population that comes in and we might have been the only person they talk to. I've always enjoyed just getting to meet new people. You get to talk to a lot of people all day long. The day is never boring. Someone's going to bring a different vibe, which is a good part of it."
The decision to move from a mobile to a permanent location was not an easy decision to make. Mikkalson knows she will likely lose clientele from the move but she also knows this is the right decision. And it will allow the pair to take walk-ins.
"I lost sleep over it because I know I will lose some people," said Mikkalson. "Because the southwest side like Stewartville will be gone. Some will follow and some won't and I understand, but I also know that I'll grow more in that other area."
Mikkalson also wants to be more reliable. She never wants to cancel a haircut because she knows people rely on hairdressers for events.
"People depend on me, right?" said Mikkalson. "It's not just a haircut because they just need a haircut. A lot of times it's because they have a wedding. They have a funeral. They have a birthday. They have something special and then if something (weather-related) comes up or something doesn't work, you're canceling on them. You have to be dependable for people and I didn't like that part where you couldn't be dependable on something."
Mikkalson is hoping to sell the mobile barbershop. She is happy to help teach anyone who is interested in starting a mobile salon, just like someone helped her.
"If somebody else was a hair stylist or barber that wanted it, I wouldn't think twice," said Mikkalson. "... I would help them in any way that they needed. The other lady that helped me could have hid her idea and never helped, but all she did was help, still to this day."