When Maxwell Alfieri was hanging out in downtown Farmington in his youth, little could he have known that one day he’d be opening a business there.
The Commerce Township native has spent almost 20 years playing hockey at the nearby Farmington Hills Ice Arena and countless evenings hanging out with friends downtown.
“I find it interesting how I landed here,” Alfieri says. “I can’t tell you how many stories I have about being younger and drinking coffee at the Starbucks across the parking lot, right across from my future business.”
Alfieri opened the high-end full service hair salon and barber shop
Alfieri Hair Craft on July 1, right in the middle of a pandemic.
In his search for a location, the downtown Farmington storefront was the only one that called to him. Neighbors like Chive Kitchen, as well as the
Farmington Farmers Market happening right outside his doors, have only validated his decision, he says.
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Inside Alfieri Hair CraftAlfieri Hair Craft is a full-service “upper-scale” custom hair salon, offering men and women’s cuts and stylings, hair color services, blowouts, and more. Included in the cost is a consultation and access to their photo studio, where clients can show off the finished product.
Alfieri himself graduated from the Paul Mitchell School in 2015 before opening Kingsfield Grooming with some friends in downtown Rochester. He would eventually leave Kingsfield to study more in Florida before returning to Michigan to open Alfieri Hair Craft.
“The culture here, I like to say that we take our craft seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. We’re not uptight. Customers won’t feel put down for not knowing something about hair,” Alfieri says.
“We have fun with it.”
Alfieri has found a silver lining in opening amidst a pandemic. It’s allowed the hairdressers to focus on their craft and build relationships with their clients, giving each the attention that they deserve.
Safety protocols are in effect; the chairs are spread 7 ft. apart, everyone wears masks, and hair tools are sterilized with UV lights in between clients.
He says that he’s looking forward to partnering on events with other downtown businesses once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Until then, he’ll continue to establish his base.
“If we can make it through this, then we’ll have a good story to tell,” Alfieri says. “It’s a positive that we’ll be able to look back and say that we made it through this.”
Alfieri Hair Craft is located at 33045 Grand River Ave. in downtown Farmington.
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