Looking to snip up something new in Yellowknife, the owners of LJJ Barber Shop are promoting their expertise in working with Black hair.

Located inside Aurora Village headquarters at at 4709 Franklin Ave., the husband and wife duo of Jonel Louis-Jean and Diana Lubansa run the shop. They are hoping to address difficulties they had in finding someone locally who could properly style Black hair.

鈥淲e just had problems finding the right barber or the right hairdresser,鈥� said Lubansa. 鈥淲e had conversations with a few people around town who expressed the same concerns for the same hardship and situation, not having the right person to get their hair done.

鈥淏lack hair is very complex,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very difficult to work with Black hair. You can see my hair has very fine curls, so it鈥檚 not the same as straight hair. Straight hair is much easier. So it has to be somebody who really knows and understands our type of textured hair.鈥�

Lubansa, who moved to Yellowknife from Toronto in 2012, met Louis-Jean, who had arrived from Montreal in 2017, in September 2018. From there, they discussed their common dilemma, which eventually led to the idea for a new barber shop.

鈥淲e wanted to create and build something that is universal, but also representing the minority,鈥� said Lubansa. 鈥淭he Black population has been underserved in this community for so long in terms of hair, so we wanted to bridge that gap.鈥�

The opening of the barbershop, which happened on Jan. 4, took longer than expected for the duo as another location they scouted on 49 Street fell through.

According to Lubansa, the combination of the shop鈥檚 delayed opening and the lack of work that came along with that led her husband into a depressive spiral.

鈥淣othing interested him,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e was sad, not happy, not eating or sleeping.鈥�

Following the opening, Louis-Jean, who serves as the master barber, is now thrilled to be working again 鈥� helping people walk away with a new hair-do and smile.

鈥淭he first thing we really look for is the satisfaction of the client,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 just have the client and then five to 10 minutes and then go, go, go, then say, 鈥極K, we鈥檙e done.鈥欌��

After a slower start, the business has gradually gained a foothold, they said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e gonna keep working to make a difference,鈥� said Louis-Jean. 鈥淭hat is our priority. And me, I like the competition.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for quality, not quantity, quantity will come,鈥� said Lubansa.