HUMBOLDT 鈥� Humboldt鈥檚 Studio 3:16 Fashion & Apparel is opening up to a new generation, with the owner Vicki Washburn鈥檚 daughter, Chianna Washburn, undertaking a mentorship and following in her mother鈥檚 footsteps.
The City of Humboldt passed a discretionary use application on June 28, for Studio 3:16 to convert a spare bedroom into one additional space and chair for hair and salon services to accommodate an additional employee that is a non-resident person on the site.
聽鈥淚t definitely has its days but it鈥檚 been really nice,鈥� Chianna said. 鈥淏eing that I am working under my mom I have a great opportunity to learn lots of business. So possibly in the future I can maybe one day open a salon, but as for now we鈥檙e just doing this and it鈥檚 been fun. There鈥檚 no real set plans yet.鈥�
Vicki Washburn started as a hairdresser 25 years ago out of her house, then opened Humboldt鈥檚 Elite Salon and Spa in 2001. She ran the business for 17 years before selling to one of the stylists she mentored, and started a home-based operation to spend more time with her family.
Her daughter, Chianna, graduated from MC College for hairdressing, before working at The Cutting Caf茅 and Sunsera in Saskatoon. She would then work a year at Salon Beautiful in Warman before moving to Humboldt for a relationship. Chianna most recently finished stint as a stylist at The Elizabeth before COVID-19 occurred.
鈥淚 still felt like I needed more mentoring, so that鈥檚 kind of why me and my mom have been working together.鈥�
Vicki said the mentorship鈥檚 benefit was discovered after Chianna was unable to work out of The Elizabeth due to the pandemic restrictions.
鈥淪he couldn鈥檛 operate with her clients at The Elizabeth, because obviously she couldn鈥檛 take outsiders in there,鈥� Vicki said. 鈥淪o she was working with some clients out of my house, and that鈥檚 where she discovered she really enjoyed being mentored by me and that鈥檚 where it all started.鈥�
Vicki said she was surprised by Chianna鈥檚 decision to first go into the industry, recalling at one point growing up when Chianna wanted to be a nurse, although Chianna remembers early moments that made her want to go into the occupation.聽
聽鈥淗onestly, I was playing with my mom鈥檚 mannequin heads from really early on,鈥� Chianna said. 鈥淎s long as I want to remember that鈥檚 what I wanted to be.鈥�
Chianna said what she likes about the business is the people.
鈥淚鈥檝e gotten so many friendships out of it, and just making people feel happy. I just love the reactions when you do their hair and their face just lights up. It鈥檚 a rewarding industry to be in.鈥�
As a mother and daughter team, Vicki said there are unique challenges, but also benefits through different experiences.
鈥淚t鈥檚 different having the different generations working together. I鈥檓 enjoying it because I鈥檓 learning more current things she is learning through her, but she finds she is learning the skill set that takes 25 years to grow through me.鈥�
