Cada's Hair Salon Owner Credits 1970s for Interest in Hair, Motorcycles

Clients of won't find salon owner Jeff Cada, 56, in a "cage" very often. "Cage" is Cada's nickname for an automobile because of the restrictions that come with driving a vehicle that fully surrounds the driver.

Cada is a motorcycle enthusiast and that silver and black streak seen zipping up and down West Jefferson Avenue is Cada sporting a black leather jacket on top of his his BMW F800GS. He said he drives his motorcycle to the hair salon every chance he gets.

"I'm always on something with two wheels," Cada said.

Cada said the 1970s sparked his interest in motorcycles and his interest in haircutting.

Cada's brother Bob opened the salon in 1965, and after haircutting transitioned from simple haircuts to more elaborate styles and cuts the business began to grow.

Cada said the hair salon business began to boom in the early 1970s after hairstyles including layering, shags and wedges became very popular.

"All of a sudden the haircutting industry went 'boom,'" Cada said. "Business became very busy...I mean lined up out the door."

After realizing the life of the blue collar worker just wasn't for him, the Detroit Barber College graduate teamed up with his brothers Bob and Bill, also graduates of the college, and began working at the salon full-time in 1976. He was 19 years old.

Eventually Cada took over the salon from his brother Bob and has been able to make it work ever since.

"They say that haircutting is recession proof," Cada said. "People are still going to need a haircut."

Cada added the haircutting business is not likely to make him a rich man, but after 36 years cutting hair Cada said the business has always put food on the table.

"You have your lean days, but, overall, the numbers over the years are pretty much the same since the 70s, the 80s, the 90s and even through your recession periods," Cada said. "People still want to feel good about themselves and get a haircut."

Cada said Cada's Hair Salon is a family oriented shop that can service everyone in the family from the kids to mom and dad. Though, many of the stylists at the shop specialize in men's haircutting.

A typical client is a local business man, but the stylists are more than capable of providing the best service for anyone who walks through the door according to Cada.

"Most of our business is through word-of-mouth," Cada said.

Cada's Hair Salon is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The shop is closed Sunday and Monday.

Clients are welcome to walk-in anytime and there's always plenty of room to park "cages" along West Jefferson Avenue.