DEL NORTE — Salon SLV opened its doors earlier this month. Owner Elle MacReibert has 40-plus years of experience tucked into her belt and is ready to welcome the community of Del Norte and beyond to her little salon and barbershop.

“I am really excited to be here in Del Norte and I am looking forward to being part of this community,” said MacReibert.

In 1982 when she was going to college to become a hairdresser/barber at a specialty razor cutting institute, MacReibert reminisced about how it was so uncommon for women to become classically trained barbers. Back in the early eighties, it was more common for cosmetology students to be women and barbers to be men. MacReibert felt that was something she wanted to change and decided that her life would be mostly dedicated to both, and the decision ended up taking her around the world.

“I remember one of my fellow classmates telling me that I needed to be in cosmetology school rather than to train as a barber but later that same day my teacher said something to me that just stuck with me. She said if I did both, and especially train to be a barber, I would be able to get a job anywhere at any time in my life and you know what. She was right.”

So, after several years working in different locations in the United States and beyond, MacReibert found herself in the San Luis Valley due to family and had been working in Monte Vista until recently.

“I had a booth at another shop in Monte Vista until the owners announced that they were selling their building. It was one of those things that just kind of works out. I met the owner of this building, Stan Johnson, and I was in here and getting to work before I knew it,” she said.

MacReibert has been welcomed by locals of Del Norte with open arms and is excited to make Del Norte her new home.

“I have been very happy with the reception I have received since coming here as things progress, I will be doing fun things with my clients. The other day I had three gentlemen in here waiting for their turn for a trim with one in my chair and I couldn’t help but think, yeah. This is it. This is what I wanted, as they all talked about local gossip, the weather and everything else in the world,” said MacReibert with a laugh.

In the past, MacReibert has held beard contests for her clients and will be looking forward to hosting one in the coming year.

“I know things are going to get busy with summer just around the corner so that is something fun I will do for my clients during the winter and spring. It can be so fun,” she said.

Salon SLV is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the option for late evenings on Thursdays, depending on appointments. MacReibert prides herself on keeping her time open for walk-in clients and makes sure to spend the time needed to make her clients look and feel great.

“It’s more about the haircut for me. It's about taking the time with each client and making sure they feel like they have my attention and feel good when they walk out my door,” she said.

MacReibert specializes in men’s haircuts and beards as well as women’s cuts and colors. She also took specialized training in using non-peroxide-based color dyes for hair and uses an enzyme that required higher education to learn how to use.

“The enzyme color treatments help to repair damage of hair over a period of time. It really makes the color look great and feel better,” she said.

For more information or to book an appointment, contact MacReibert at Salon SLV located at 1280 Grande Ave. in Del Norte or by calling 719-588-5090.