“It’s all about making kids feel amazing in their own skin,” she said.
As a mom of two, Reeves said Sit Still creates a family-friendly space for adults and kids to relax. The salon is designed with calming wall colors while soft music plays to make what can be an overwhelming experience more enjoyable for all visitors, Reeves said. Once children are set up for their cut, adults are offered drinks such as cold brew, sparkling water and even mimosas on the weekends.
Before each appointment, the salon asks parents or guardians to fill out a form listing preferences or sensory needs for each child, Reeves said. Children can sit in wooden cars during their haircut and have the option to use tablets, which gives the kids something to do while loud hair clippers or scissors are close by.
Reeves said the salon’s menu is not limited to “boy cut” and “girl cut.” Instead, there are short cuts, long cuts, bobs, buzz cuts and curly cuts to fit what each child wants.
“We want to be inclusive to everyone,” Reeves said. “Boys can have long hair. Girls can have short hair.”
There is also room for creativity with kids' haircuts at Sit Still. Lately, mullets, mohawks and mullet-mohawks are making a comeback, Reeves said. Kids can also choose to have color spray or braids added to their hair at the end of their session.
The salon also has a handpicked retail area that sells items such as books, clothes, hair accessories and beauty products like bath bombs. Reeves said she partners with local businesses, like Red Horn for cold brew and children's books from local authors, to keep a hometown feel at Sit Still.
The salon opened in March 2020 as a franchise of the Portland, Ore.-based company. Five days after opening, the salon closed until June due to the pandemic. When the salon reopened, a “skeleton crew” worked to create a safe space for families to visit. Masks have always been required, Reeves said, and the salon will continue to require them until vaccinations are available for all children.
Reeves said running a salon in a pandemic taught her how important the whole haircut experience was for each guest.
“Moving into COVID, when people actually take time to get out, it has to be some kind of experience,” Reeves said. “It can’t just be, 'I’m going to spend money and get a haircut.' It needs to be more than that because people trust in you.”
More than haircuts
Sit Still Kids Salon also offers a selection of kid-friendly salon services.
- Temporary color, $40: temporary kid-safe hair coloring that lasts up to 10 washes
- Sparkle strands, $20: 10 colored silk-based sparkle strands woven into the hair
- Mini mani, $20: non-toxic nail polish
- Swimmers treatment, $20: removes chlorine from hair to get hair healthy
14005 N. US Hwy. 183, Ste. 550, Austin
512-906-0046
www.sitstillkids.com/locations/austin
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., closed Tues.-Wed.
