Local Love Blog Series –
BEATNIK Salon

We have our very first dynamic-duo feature on this instalment of the Local Love Blog Series, and we can’t wait to share the awesome work being done by Cassidy Geddes and Pam Traut at BEATNIK Salon!  

Cassidy and Pam have created a space that encourages continuing education, offers gender-neutral pricing, and they have become trailblazers of environmentally responsible initiatives. They are committed to offering high-end services in a casual and ‘good vibes only’ setting! 

Tucked in the coziest nook of the Wolf & Bear Mall, BEATNIK is a must-visit for your post-COVID haircut. 

Cassidy and Pam have their routine dialed where Cassidy is the creative hairdresser with 17-years of experience, and Pam is the self-proclaimed “Money Lord” as the face behind all administrative, organizational, and business needs of BEATNIK.

Pam and Cassidy wanted to set their salon apart from the classic hair salon experience. 

Which is the reason its name is what it is – BEATNIK Salon. While you can find plenty of definitions online, Cassidy and Pam like to think of it as creating their own counterculture by stepping away from the current salon norms and towards their own idea of an open community space. This includes supporting the arts, from live music to musicians, from artists to improv groups. 

Inclusion and self-expression are leading principles at BEATNIK. 

Cassidy and Pam have created a safe, friendly, and accepting space for clients to explore a hairstyle that fits their lifestyle while still allowing for true self-expression with zero judgement Whether it be a first haircut ever, graduation and wedding hairstyles, a post-breakup refresh (I’ve personally been there, done that so no judgement here!), or just a milestone that needs commemorating, BEATNIK provides it all.

At the end of the day, Cassidy and Pam love seeing clients transform before their eyes and the reactions when clients leave feeling great!

Both hailing from Ontario, Cassidy from Kitchener-Waterloo and Pam from St. Mary’s Banff has now been home for the past decade. BEATNIK has allowed them to spend quality time with a hugely diverse group of people from the Bow Valley and abroad. While Cassidy lived in Toronto for 7 years and attended the Aveda Academy, Pam was keeping herself busy in Guelph getting a BAH in Psychology. 

However, this pair didn’t actually connect until they were both in Banff when Pam made a hair appointment and her stylist turned out to be Cassidy!

With a current focus on making their laundry systems more responsible, BEATNIK is always working towards becoming eco-friendlier and more renewable in all their practices. They are keen to collaborate on projects near and far, such as the Dresscode Project which is working to, “educate and empower hair stylists and barbers to give people haircuts that help them look the way they feel…envision(ing) a world where every hair salon and barber shop is a gender-affirming, safer-space for LGBTQ2S+ clients.” 

Being so involved with the community, we had a feeling that Cassidy and Pam’s shout-out list would be long, and we were not disappointed! 

While there are surely so many more, here are a few people in the Bow Valley that Pam and Cassidy wanted to be sure had a special shout-out: Bryan White at Bow Media Banff, Jeremiah Marsh from Wilderness Weddings, Christine Kauffman’s beautiful arrangements at Banff Mountaintop Flowers, Sherry McEwen at Last Temptation Vintage, Pauline Brennan of Wild River Artwork (check out her staff cartoons on the BEATNIK website!), Nikkie Goodwin of Nak Creative, amazing musician Alanna J. Brown, and last but not least, Pat the Baker from The Uprising Bakery. 

In addition to all the amazing people Cassidy and Pam work with everyday, they’re also committed to giving back to the community. 

They recently offered half-priced haircuts to restaurant staff in the Bow Valley, and donated all proceeds to the Banff Food Rescue, who does amazing work keeping good food out of landfills and providing our community with perfect and affordable food. If you’re looking to get involved, they’re always looking for volunteers! 

It’s been a tough stop-and-start pattern of work throughout the three lockdowns BEATNIK saw this past year. They were putting in 12+ hour days leading up to each new lockdown, then shut down for weeks as they recovered before reopening with full schedules. Throughout it all, Cassidy and Pam couldn’t be more grateful for local friends and clients supporting them whether it was buying product and gift cards during closures, or dropping by with coffee and snacks (special shout-out to Sue Shih!) when they were open and working tirelessly! 

So, what would make the Bow Valley a better place, according to the BEATNIK crew? 

Pam is actively involved with the Town of Banff’s ‘Trash Talks’, a thinktank for concerned businesses and individuals working to help Banff achieve zero-waste status. Cassidy and Pam are also super excited for the Banff Isn’t Disposable (BID) program, which is a pilot program for reusable containers where customers can choose to have their food packages in a reusable container from any participating business by paying a $5 deposit – all containers can be returned for a refund of the deposit, then cleaned and reused! 

Pam and Cassidy have poured their hearts into creating an inclusive and engaging space of refuge in the Bow Valley with BEATNIK Salon. 

Next time you’re looking for an awesome spot to hang out and get a great haircut, be sure to check out BEATNIK Salon. Until then, make sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook for updates as they re-introduce their hang-out spot (waiting room), host live music events, and return to being the fully open-door, social space they used to be! 

Interested in being featured in the Local Love Blog Series? Check out more information here and make sure to follow us on Instagram!