A Salon of Their Own: The Creation of

MATCH Hair Salon

Throughout the build out of MATCH Hair Salon, our intention was to help translate the owners’ years of industry experience into a physical space — one that felt personal, elevated, and fully their own. This was their first salon, but far from their first time behind the chair. After working in some of the city’s most notable shops, they were ready to create something that reflected the lessons, aesthetics, and values they’d gathered along the way. Located at the intersection of South Loop and Chinatown, the 3,000-square-foot space — a former ABA therapy center — offered strong bones and a blank canvas.

From our initial walkthrough in early summer 2024, it was clear that this wouldn’t be a typical renovation. It was a story of transformation. Of shedding what no longer served and building with intention. We opened up the floor plan by removing several interior walls, but preserved and repurposed others to create moments of intimacy, like the private VIP rooms tucked just out of view. The salon’s infrastructure was rebuilt from the inside out — updated plumbing and electrical to meet the technical demands of a contemporary salon, five custom shampoo stations, and a clean material palette of new drywall, flooring, and lighting that allowed the vision to come through with clarity.

As always, the process brought its share of surprises. But by maintaining a tight feedback loop between our team, the owners, and their architect, we were able to navigate the unexpected with certainty. By early winter, the space was fully realized: a modern, welcoming salon infused with the confidence and warmth of its founders. MATCH isn’t just a salon — it’s the embodiment of craft, care, and creative freedom. We’re honored to have helped shape that foundation.