The Iowa City area will soon be home Thompson and Co. Salon and Parlor (513 E. Washington St.), a salon meets barbershop concept that will offer services for all types of men and women’s hair. The business is set to open in late April or early May, and will have a small, specialized staff with a variety of hairstyling backgrounds.
Co-owners Bobby and Kayla Thompson decided to combine the salon and barbershop concepts with the intention of providing services for all of Iowa City’s diverse community.
“Iowa City is a unique, transient place with a strong sense of family and culture at its core,” said Bobby. “Our vision is to bring the Iowa City community a place that caters to everyone.”
The couple brings years of experience to their new business: Bobby is a graduate of the University of Iowa and La’ James and spent several years acting as the director at the Cedar Rapids location of Blaze Color Salon; Kayla studied at the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis. The two spent have also been consultants, working at various salons before choosing to join their collective expertise.
“We made the natural decision to combine our strengths and bring a unique space to the community that we have decided to call home,” said Bobby.
Community is important to the Thompson’s, and they hope they can become more involved and supportive of those who live in Iowa City by creating something that is more than simply a salon.
“We want our space to be unique. We’re working with artists who will display their work within the space, and we will host a gallery party every couple months to help them share their pieces,” said Bobby. “We want to create a spot where our guests can feel confident and have a family of stylists that support them.”
During the salon’s initial months, they will offer a complimentary eyebrow wax, conditioning treatment or product styling for first-time visitors.
“We want our guests to leave with an overwhelming sense of confidence and feeling of cool after visiting Thompson and Co.,” said Bobby.
