A hair salon with an artistic spin is about to open in downtown Palatine.
Hair plus art is part of the equation at Little Broken Things, currently located at 2031 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.
A new hair salon and art gallery is opening later this year in the former Kinsch Floral Market space. It will be the second location for Little Broken Things, also located in Chicago.
Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
Owner and Palatine resident Cassie Hamel plans to open up a second location later this year at 48 W. Palatine Road in the space formerly occupied by the Kinsch Floral Market.
Little Broken Things, a combination hair salon, art gallery and consignment shop, has been in business for seven years.
Hamel said the business does “alternative hair, fun stuff.” She said she sees “people that want these haircuts that maybe can’t get them at hair salons around here.”
She said there will be an art gallery wall featuring a rotating slate of local artists. This, she said, will bring more attention to the art community in the area.
At the Chicago location, the business does a reception for the artists and spotlights them on social media, she said.
The art gallery wall at Little Broken Things in Chicago. A new location is opening in downtown Palatine.
Steve Zalusky/szalusky@dailyherald.com
The location sells hair products, but also such consignment items as jewelry, candles and cards.
She said she chose the name “because I didn’t want it to sound like a salon.” She said it appeals “to the alternative crowd, the misfits, the ones that don’t totally fit in.
“Most stylists are artists too. We want to do creative things. We want to be stimulated. It’s really cool to have a wall that’s just constantly changing with new art. It kind of gives you little bits of inspiration and also opens up just a new network of people,” she added.
It was important for the business to be in Palatine, she said. But it was especially important for it to be located downtown.
“I wanted to have that sense of community and be next to other businesses,” she said.
The Palatine village council recently voted to grant a $22,250 reimbursement to help with improvements under the Downtown TIF District Facade & Interior Building Improvement Grant Program. It will help with modifications to an existing bathroom, construction of an additional bathroom and related Americans with Disabilities Act modifications.
Village Manager Reid Ottesen said the second restroom is needed based on occupancy.
“It has been a successful program in the downtown. We like to see the small, locally owned businesses investing in the downtown,” Ottesen said.
The village has approved four grant applications, including the American Legion ($6,236), Two Libras Cafe ($10,442), JL’s Pizza & Sports Bar ($50,000) and Pizza Bella ($122,950).