Pürevolution salon aims to be cut above

Pürevolution will bring a city feel to Sidney, said owner Arik Lafler.

The full-service salon, located at 1745 Illinois St., will hold its grand opening on Monday. Although Lafler has worked for other salons in Sidney and opened the local chain, Paperdolls salons as a partnership, this is his first time venturing into business on his own.

"I like having my own little studio, my own little home away from home," he said.

Pürevolution is a one-seat studio manned by Lafler himself and decked with antique family furnishings. Lafler turned the end of a 19th century poker table into a work station. He described his salon as new wave with an old school hipster feel.

"I've always walked to my own beat," Lafler said.

A true Sidney native, Lafler was born and raised here, graduated from Sidney High School and attended beauty school at Western Nebraska Community College. Lafler left Sidney for a time, while he worked in Nevada and California, but returned bringing with him everything he learned during his travels, he said.

Lafler guarantees that every customer in his salon can be honest about how she feels about her hair. Patrons are welcome to ask for a change if they don't like their look.

"It's your hair and I want you to love it," Lafler said.

Lafler promises to listen and to help those searching for something new to find the perfect style, even if they're unsure of what they want. Pürevolution will serve all cultures and sexes.

Lafler, whose mother was a hairdresser, never aspired to become one himself.

"I swore that I would never do hair," he said. "I thought that receptioning in a salon would be a fun job in high school."

Lafler began working as a receptionist for his future mentor – Tami Vowers – as a teenager. During this time, he traveled with Vowers to a hair show to work as a model. When they arrived at the show, Lafler and Vowers found that the makeup artist had fallen off a horse and broken her leg, so Lafler had to fill in for her.

"So I got thrown into the mix and I loved it," he said. "I though the fast-paced fashion world was fantastic."

A cosmetologist has constant opportunities to reinvent himself, which Lafler loves. He believes that salon work is a great outlet for his creativity.

Lafler's favorite part of working at a salon is, "getting to make someone feel great about themselves, to feel beautiful, to feel wanted, listened to."

Lafler and his fiancee Brett Avila are both active in the community. Avila sponsors the sophomore class and Lafler is involved with various organizations.

Lafler worked with Doves, a spousal protection service during his time at Paperdolls.

"We would have battered women come in and give them makeovers," he said.

This salon also had a program where clients would receive discounts for bringing in old hair tools. The salon would clean them and donate them to these women, who might have left their homes with nothing. Lafler also enjoys catering to clients with special needs.

"I'm constantly trying to find something new to do in the community," he said.

During his grand opening, Lafler will raise funds for a person with special needs in the community. Although he enjoys working in the community, salon work is Lafler's true passion.

"Working behind the chair and having that human connection is definitely something that keeps me going," he said.