Barry Nadeau
Owner/operator, Brush Palm Springs
Brush Palm Springs feels like a “cocoon from what’s going on in the outside world,” says owner Barry Nadeau. “When the door of Brush closes, you are surrounded with quiet and calm.” No phones ring in this tranquil one-chair salon, where specialty cocktails are on the menu alongside chic cuts and color.
Now in its fifth year in the hip Palm Springs Uptown Design District, Nadeau’s boutique salon evokes the Hollywood glamour of midcentury Palm Springs. He’s seen the area grow steadily year-round, with hotels, restaurants, and art galleries springing up around him.
“Palm Springs is a gold mine,” he says. “For any business willing to work hard and give great service, the city will truly embrace you.”
Nadeau trained at Vidal Sassoon in London and counts almost 40 years in the business. “Being in Palm Springs, there are many people who are over the top — and I love them,” he says. “Coming to work every single day is the most fun I can have.”
He and his husband recently welcomed a granddaughter, who keeps him busy, and he also finds time for local charities: “Palm Springs has been so good to me that I have to be able to give back. I love what I do, and I couldn’t have asked for a better place.”
VIDEO: Barry Nadeau says having a business in Palm Springs has evolved into a year-round commitment.