Fusions Hair Designs has moved into a new location at the corner of Fourth Street and Mineral Avenue. The move, said owner Xannie Riddel, enables the business to expand to provide more services to their clientele.

“We outgrew our old location. We were renting the old location and wanted to expand. We have an aesthetician now and we want to get a massage therapist in the near future,” she said.

An aesthetician is a professional that specializes in skin care. They provide facials, pore cleansing, waxing, manicures and pedicures. 

Riddel said it’s been an exciting first week at the new location.

“Everyone is really excited,” she said. “The first week has been amazing.  We’ve been really busy. People have been really supportive. We have a lot more room now, when people are in here it doesn’t feel so crowded.” 

Riddel was born and raised in Libby. She went to school at Kalispell and did a lot of her training at Blades Design Group in Spokane, Wash., She is happy to be running a business in her hometown. 

Fusions has eight employees: Colleen Parker, Tai Peterson, Jessica Selle, Shonna Mohr, Julie Meyer, Kristen Montgomery, Alida Leigh and Monica Haley. 

“Each girl brings something to the table,” Riddel said. “Some focus on coloring. Others are really good with women. We have one girl that’s really good with children. We cater to everybody’s needs.”

Moving can be a stressful ordeal and Riddel is thankful for the help she received from clients, friends and members of the community to help get the new location ready. 

“We had clients come help,” she said. “All the girls helped out. It’s been a real group effort.” 

Riddel believes her salon is a third place, as outlined by Ray Oldenburg in his book, “The Great Good Place.” Third places are gathering places between home and work, they can be any number of locations. It can be a café, a bar or hair salon. It’s a place where people hang out, converse and build a community. 

“We have such a close bond with our clients,” she said. “We had clients up on ladders helping us paint. It definitely feels like a community in itself. It’s almost like a family.”