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The House of Ebbitt:
Located in the historic Eastport section of Annapolis,
the House of Ebbitt is much more than a conventional beauty
shop. As the name implies, the salon resembles a stylish,
upscale home and owners Thom and Isabel Ebbitt strive to make
customers feel like family.
The Ebbitts approach to working with clients is as unique
as its location. In determining the best style to recommend
for clients, the Ebbitts consider the whole person, not just
their hair.
Over soft jazz and surrounded by décor that’s
a mixture of antique and modern, clients are provided with
a whole range of services – from hair and skin care to
makeup application. “If someone’s in a bad mood,
I’m going to try to get them out of it,” said Thom,
who has 40 years experience in the business.
Isabel said they take an interest in their clients’
lives, which is one reason they have a lot of faithful customers.
“You’ve got to put trust in your hairdresser,”
she said. “You wouldn’t want to go to someone who
didn’t have an interest in you. You have to have a relationship
with them.” And the relationships they have with their
clients sometimes filter down (or up) through generations.
It’s not unusual to for the Ebbitts to enjoy relationships
with a mother, son, and granddaughter within a family of clients.
The Ebbitts have been in Eastport three years. Before that,
they were in downtown Annapolis for 18 years and in Georgetown—
Washington, D.C.—for 12 years. Both native to Great Britain,
Thom and Isabel came to the United States from Scotland in
1970, where Thom was the one-time Scottish National Hairdressing
Champion.
Background:
From the moment you set foot inside the House
of Ebbitt, you know it’s not going to be like other
salon. Thom Ebbitt coined the term “hairist” to
describe what he does. The term is a combination of the words
``hair’’ and ``artist,’’ and his artistic
flair is seen all over the salon. Clients bask in 19th French
barbershop chairs—the same chair featured in a famous
Norman Rockwell print—and other richly-appointed antique
furniture nicely accommodates hair and skincare supplies.
The walls are filled with artwork and the Ebbitts maintain
a special section of the salon for private consultations.
One of the first things that greet visitors at the main entrance
is a Marine uniform filled with medals, on loan from longtime
client and Maryland state Senator John Astle. The uniform
harkens back to Mr. Ebbitt’s past. He was serving in
the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) when he noticed
some buddies were clipping hair on the side. Thom always had
a good sense of style, so decided to see if he could clip
hair, as well. His work quickly earned him praise and, before
long, he decided to make it a career.
 Thom
studied in a men’s barbershop first, learning different
techniques from award-winning stylists and then branched out
into women’s hair. He studied with European star Stan
Grey and studied the methods of legendary stylist Vidal Sassoon.
His artistic flair extends beyond hair into his hobbies:
photography and jazz. “We have a relaxed, happy atmosphere
(at the salon),” he said. “We offer superior work
at a good price. We want you to come back.” Thom said
he has considered a bigger shop with more stylists, but he
nixed the idea because he didn’t want to lose the personal
touch he and Isabel have with devoted clients. Thom enjoys
overseeing all the work at the salon and ensures that everyone
leaves satisfied.
Thom and Isabel were married in 1967, and have one son, Tirin
(sp?) and moved to Annapolis to raise him. Now grown, he recently
completed a tour of duty in the Marines and is headed to college
to study business.
 Isabel
got her start in the business after marrying her husband,
and specializes in skin care and makeup, although she’s
also an accomplished hair stylist in her own right. A cosmetologist
and esthetician, she studied with Vin Kehoe, the makeup artist
for film pioneer Lon Chaney and “The Wizard of Oz.”
Often, they work together, with Thom handling the hair cut
and color and Isabel then working on makeup. “It gives
you a great deal of satisfaction to make people look and feel
good,” Isabel said. ``It’s not like a job. It’s
like having a good time every day. It’s a calling.’’
Hair
Salon : Beauty Salon : Hair Styling : Annapolis : Anne Arundel
County
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