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RHODE ISLAND'S HAIR SALON CHAMPION!

by FRANK O'DONNELL
AUGUST 27, 2006

I get my hair cut in a salon.

The salon is in Marieville, clear across town from my home nearby Centredale. That's an awfully long trip – not so much in mileage, but in elapsed time, especially when that time is elapsing on a Saturday morning.

But that's how we are. We find something that works, and we stick with it.

Janet knows what I like done, and she does it cheerfully.

I can't even tell you how long I've been getting my hair cut by Janet. Seems like forever, but it's not. It seems like forever, because in typical Rhode Island fashion, I was a year behind her sister in high school. Plus, until my mother moved south, Janet did her hair.

So there's that seems-like-I've-always-known-her sort of bond – even though it feels just a little weird to have my hair cut by the same girl who did my mother's hair.

The last time I took the drive, I noticed that I was passing a lot of hair salons along the way.

An awful lot of hair salons.

I didn't actually try this – and neither should you – but it seems like you could stand at one hair salon and throw a stone in any direction, and hit another salon.

I once asked the Honorable A. Ralph if he thought we had enough hair salons in town. He just laughed. "You are definitely talking to the wrong guy," he said. "Have you seen my hairline lately? If they're relying on me to be successful, they are out of luck."

In other words, as Mayor, A. Ralph would like to spread the wealth, but really, what can one man personally contribute to the income stream of any one salon, let alone all of them. Especially with that hairline. I mean, have you seen it lately?

I took it upon myself to do a little research. According to the Yahoo! Yellow Pages, there are 66 hair salons in the Town of North Providence, including actual barbershops.

Thirty-one of the salons – an overwhelming 47% - are found right on Mineral Spring Avenue. That's an average of 1.5 salons per quarter mile.

That's 11.5 salons per square mile – one salon for every 490 residents.

And that's a statistic that positively dwarfs the competition.



North Providence is far and away the Hair Salon Capital of Rhode Island.

Don't believe me?

The tape tells the tale.

Lincoln has a grand total of 11 hair salons – 0.6 per square mile, with one salon for every 1900 residents.

Smithfield has 14 salons – 0.5 per square mile, with one salon for every 1470 residents.

Cumberland has 43 salons – but that boils down to only 1.6 per square mile, with one salon for every 740 residents.

Pawtucket has 82 salons – 24% greater than North Providence's total. But that's only 9.4 salons per square mile (18% less), with one salon for every 889 residents (45% less capacity than North Providence).

Providence has 192 salons – 190% more than NP. Still, that's only 10.4 salons per square mile, and one salon for every 904 residents.

Now I know what you're saying – I haven't compared the numbers for Johnston and Cranston yet. Surely one of them is more hair-friendly than little old North Providence?

Think again.

Johnston has only 55 salons. Pale doesn't begin to describe the comparison – a land mass almost four times larger than North Providence, and it can only muster up 2.3 salons per square mile. Their capacity, however, is close to North Providence – one salon for every 512 residents.

 Cranston has 151 salons, as you would expect. Still, that's only 5.3 per square mile, with one salon serving every 524 residents.

It's all North Providence. Champion, by a hair in some cases, but champion all the same!

Next time you see your stylist, make sure you give him or her a high five.

Just make sure the scissors are on the counter first.