Town in Northwest Territories desperately seeking full-time hairdresser

By Jon Azpiri – News Producer Global News

A town in the Northwest Territories has gone public with an unusual dilemma.

The people of Norman Wells are desperate for a hairdresser to set up shop in their town, which is located several hundred kilometres northwest of Yellowknife.

Norman Wells economic development officer Nicky Richards says the town’s last full-time hairdresser moved away two years ago and they would love have to someone take her place.

“There’s a lot of things we’ve gone without in Norman Wells,” Richards said. “We are kind of used to that. But as far as the hairstyles go people have been trying to do their own thing. The guys have been shaving each other’s heads.

“Mostly we just have to wait until we go down south. There’s nothing we can really do or else we take the scissors and the clippers to ourselves.”

Richards says setting up shop in Norman Wells could be a “great business opportunity” for a hairdresser who would have a virtual monopoly in the region.

She adds there are other reasons an enterprising coiffeur should move there.

“The draw is we have a real special little community,” Richards said. “There are only about 800 people here. It’s very slow-paced. It’s very safe.

“We like to do a lot of fun outdoors things — there’s boating, fishing, camping, hiking. Everybody knows each other. You get a wave when you drive by. That kind of safe feeling of a close community is what I think would be the draw.”