Washington Square Studio, a vibrant hair salon located on West Washington Street in the heart of downtown Athens, recently moved to a brand new location only a couple feet below its previous home.

The search for a new space began around a year and a half ago when owners and stylists Shayne McBride and Allie Miller decided to expand their space for their growing clientele. After their landlord offered them the 2,000-square-foot downstairs space, Miller said it was “an obvious move.”

Directed and designed over the course of six months, Washington Square Studio opened its new doors in September 2023.

Despite its close proximity, the move marks a dynamic shift from the studio’s former upstairs area which was known as a cozy hangout spot for friends, customers and fellow employees to chat and relax. While the new space covers over double the square footage of its previous location, McBride still wanted to encourage discussions and create a welcoming environment for all who walk through its bright pink doors.

“When we moved down here we realized we’re expanding space, but we still wanted to keep that feeling. So we have this table so everybody can talk while they’re processing instead of just being in a line,” McBride said. “These conversations allow us to kind of move with people.”

The studio’s new lofty ceilings and spaced out salon chairs don’t just help the business run smoothly during the day-to-day cuts, stylings and colorings, but the space also helps with the studio’s apprenticeship program. Brandi Deleshaw, the director of education for the salon, was able to upgrade her teaching style from gathering aspiring stylists around an iPad to giving full-on presentations.

“It’s been really nice moving down here now because we have a lot more space to work and also a projector. I can show my little PowerPoints that I like to make,” Deleshaw said. “The salon really functions as a classroom.”

Besides enhancing the education and functionality of the salon, the lounging and sitting areas adorning the center and walls of the studio give customers a comfortable space to figure out their best look while being up-front about their specific hair care needs.

Alongside the artwork, plants, books and photographs in the many nooks and corners of the studio, each station has hand-painted designs surrounding the mirrors, done by local artist Brooke Ussery who worked on the studio’s previous location.

“​​A good studio feels that art is being made, things are being created,” McBride said.

A change in location is just one of Washington Square Studio’s many evolutions since it opened its doors in 2015. The studio has switched to boutique brands with more sustainable packaging for their hair products, and has started implementing gender-free pricing to create a more inclusive and fair experience for all customers.

However, authenticity doesn’t stop within the brightly painted walls of the studio, but extends into the surrounding community. In a changing downtown environment leaning towards tourism and big brands, the studio strives to keep its own identity alive.

“Growing up here [with] the funky little stores and shops and coffee houses and bars that we always loved, we definitely wanted to be a part of that, something that… feels like Athens, feels a little quirky, feels a little different,” Miller said.