The Kanbour family have been cutting hair in Calgary since the seventies. In 2001, Chaker and his sister, Marcelle, decided their downtown location wasn’t working for them and opened up Headscapes near the Marda Loop business district. “It’s vibrant. It’s new. It’s one of the better areas in the city so we decided to give it a whirl,” says Chaker. “Where we are is suburban but still has a downtown feel. It’s the best of both worlds.”

The sleek modern design matches what you would see in a high-end downtown salon, but the fun, family friendly atmosphere Chaker and his sister created make it welcoming for men, women or children looking for the latest cut or colour treatment.

Working side by side with family can be a problem for some people, but not the Kanbours. They have always relied on their strong family bond to provide a base for business success. “Most [people] can’t believe we work together,” says Chaker. “But it has helped us. Inevitably there are always staff fluctuations so you have to have a good base to keep things going.”