Driftwood Barber Shop by Beth Keller
I have driven past this little barbershop what seems like a million times throughout my 25+ years of living in the area. In my head I had always imagined a little sweet old man with a towel over one shoulder, a grin on his face, and scissors in hand wiping a chair off as he greeted you to sit down. I could not imagine how wrong I was. The décor in the shop includes walls covered with photos of Coos Bay and North bend in their heydays of the early 1900’s. The Owner Serena loves children so there is an area made up just for kids. The children seem to love this area when they are waiting to get a haircut or waiting for their parent to get one.
Serena Samora is the owner of Driftwood Barbershop. She comes off as having a great sense of humor and appears to absolutely love her job. She grew up in the North Bend area and attended both Hillcrest and North Bend High School. Halfway through Serena’s senior year in high school she moved to Salem with the man who would eventually become her husband (her High School sweetheart). She finished her education in Salem and graduated in 1998. She still considers North Bend High School her Alma Mater. Serena then attended beauty school in Portland and eventually the two moved to Sacramento, CA.
Serena has been cutting hair since the year 2000. She and her husband have two children, both girls. The youngest is a spunky six year old named Rylee who keeps Serena on her toes. The eldest is her sixteen year old step daughter, Chelsea. Serena and her loving family moved back to Coos County when her youngest child was born. She said “I wanted to be closer to family and for our oldest to be within a better educational environment.” She explained to me that she was “tired of the whole ‘rat race’ way of life in the big city.” Serena and her husband never imagined that they would find themselves back in Coos bay, but she realized that “this has always been home and she feels truly blessed here.” Serena’s children will be the fourth generation of Bulldogs attending North Bend High. This makes Serena and her husband very happy and proud. Serena and her husband do a lot of different things for the community! It makes them feel great doing something to help others out.
When Serena started cutting hair in the Coos Bay area she was only a fill in. Helping local shops and businesses when hairdressers would want a vacation or me time. During one of her fill in days she happened to be cutting Cecil Pittman’s hair (the original owner of the Driftwood). During the haircut Cecil conveyed to her that he would like to sale his business and she was his first choice. Cecil had been cutting hair for over 50 years (30 of those years being the Driftwood) and it was his time to be finished and move on. Cecil was 74 years old when he handed over his scissors. His hope was to find just the right person who would share his love of cutting hair, keep things similar to the way he had left it, and keep it open for another 30 years. She talked about it with her husband and they decided it was a great idea.
In August of 2011 after some renovations, the shop opened its doors with new owners. Serena runs the shop on a first come first serve basis. There are no appointments made. She stated that “after the second day she had the phone shut off because she wanted to work within a stress free environment.” Most of her clientele include men from every age group, the elderly, Coast Guard, the working class men in the area, and children. She has kept good on Cecil’s wish of keeping it the same. She still has the same price of $9 for men and generally charges women $15. She is not a salon so she does not do shampoos or extra styling with tools such as curling irons, straighteners, ect. She states “this is a barbershop so we basically do barbershop cuts.” She can do any style haircut from the popular “Bieber” cut to a military fade.
Serena states, “The business can be slow one day and have a long line the next.” Here is a quote I found on yelp from one of her customers a William E.,”Got my first Coos Bay cut here. It was full when I arrived and full when I left so, I don't know why nobody has left a review. Hey it’s only 9 bucks you can’t beat that!” Serena likes to keep things running smoothly and efficiently so she generally likes to work alone. Serena has her Mother-In-Law step in to cover her when she wants to go on vacation with her family. She serves many people in the area and has become quite popular not only from her great haircuts, but her demeanor as well. Everyone who meets her or gets their hair cut by her walks away happy and satisfied. She says she has “grown many clientele based relationships with the people.” She always remembers how an individual likes their hair cut, when their wives were sick, but sometimes she does not always remember their names!
I could not let Serena leave without getting a back story about the “upside down” sign on the front of Driftwood Barbershop. She told me that when Cecil had opened his first business he had placed the sign upside down which had really upset the city. They told Cecil that the sign was “distracting and needed to be placed right side up.” Cecil got mad and fought for it to stay. When Cecil moved his business to where it is now he decided to keep the sign that way. People liked it and it was what they were used to. They recognized it and it has become a local landmark! If ever anyone asks “where is that little barbershop? You know the one with the upside down sign?” They know exactly what the person is talking about. Serena loved the whole concept and has kept it the same. She says when they get a new sign she will place it the exact same way. “Why change a good thing.”
I have driven past this little barbershop what seems like a million times throughout my 25+ years of living in the area. In my head I had always imagined a little sweet old man with a towel over one shoulder, a grin on his face, and scissors in hand wiping a chair off as he greeted you to sit down. I could not imagine how wrong I was. The décor in the shop includes walls covered with photos of Coos Bay and North bend in their heydays of the early 1900’s. The Owner Serena loves children so there is an area made up just for kids. The children seem to love this area when they are waiting to get a haircut or waiting for their parent to get one.
Serena Samora is the owner of Driftwood Barbershop. She comes off as having a great sense of humor and appears to absolutely love her job. She grew up in the North Bend area and attended both Hillcrest and North Bend High School. Halfway through Serena’s senior year in high school she moved to Salem with the man who would eventually become her husband (her High School sweetheart). She finished her education in Salem and graduated in 1998. She still considers North Bend High School her Alma Mater. Serena then attended beauty school in Portland and eventually the two moved to Sacramento, CA.
Serena has been cutting hair since the year 2000. She and her husband have two children, both girls. The youngest is a spunky six year old named Rylee who keeps Serena on her toes. The eldest is her sixteen year old step daughter, Chelsea. Serena and her loving family moved back to Coos County when her youngest child was born. She said “I wanted to be closer to family and for our oldest to be within a better educational environment.” She explained to me that she was “tired of the whole ‘rat race’ way of life in the big city.” Serena and her husband never imagined that they would find themselves back in Coos bay, but she realized that “this has always been home and she feels truly blessed here.” Serena’s children will be the fourth generation of Bulldogs attending North Bend High. This makes Serena and her husband very happy and proud. Serena and her husband do a lot of different things for the community! It makes them feel great doing something to help others out.
When Serena started cutting hair in the Coos Bay area she was only a fill in. Helping local shops and businesses when hairdressers would want a vacation or me time. During one of her fill in days she happened to be cutting Cecil Pittman’s hair (the original owner of the Driftwood). During the haircut Cecil conveyed to her that he would like to sale his business and she was his first choice. Cecil had been cutting hair for over 50 years (30 of those years being the Driftwood) and it was his time to be finished and move on. Cecil was 74 years old when he handed over his scissors. His hope was to find just the right person who would share his love of cutting hair, keep things similar to the way he had left it, and keep it open for another 30 years. She talked about it with her husband and they decided it was a great idea.
In August of 2011 after some renovations, the shop opened its doors with new owners. Serena runs the shop on a first come first serve basis. There are no appointments made. She stated that “after the second day she had the phone shut off because she wanted to work within a stress free environment.” Most of her clientele include men from every age group, the elderly, Coast Guard, the working class men in the area, and children. She has kept good on Cecil’s wish of keeping it the same. She still has the same price of $9 for men and generally charges women $15. She is not a salon so she does not do shampoos or extra styling with tools such as curling irons, straighteners, ect. She states “this is a barbershop so we basically do barbershop cuts.” She can do any style haircut from the popular “Bieber” cut to a military fade.
Serena states, “The business can be slow one day and have a long line the next.” Here is a quote I found on yelp from one of her customers a William E.,”Got my first Coos Bay cut here. It was full when I arrived and full when I left so, I don't know why nobody has left a review. Hey it’s only 9 bucks you can’t beat that!” Serena likes to keep things running smoothly and efficiently so she generally likes to work alone. Serena has her Mother-In-Law step in to cover her when she wants to go on vacation with her family. She serves many people in the area and has become quite popular not only from her great haircuts, but her demeanor as well. Everyone who meets her or gets their hair cut by her walks away happy and satisfied. She says she has “grown many clientele based relationships with the people.” She always remembers how an individual likes their hair cut, when their wives were sick, but sometimes she does not always remember their names!
I could not let Serena leave without getting a back story about the “upside down” sign on the front of Driftwood Barbershop. She told me that when Cecil had opened his first business he had placed the sign upside down which had really upset the city. They told Cecil that the sign was “distracting and needed to be placed right side up.” Cecil got mad and fought for it to stay. When Cecil moved his business to where it is now he decided to keep the sign that way. People liked it and it was what they were used to. They recognized it and it has become a local landmark! If ever anyone asks “where is that little barbershop? You know the one with the upside down sign?” They know exactly what the person is talking about. Serena loved the whole concept and has kept it the same. She says when they get a new sign she will place it the exact same way. “Why change a good thing.”
Carol's Pet Sitting by Beth Keller
Carol Shaw spoke to me and told me that her pet sitting business began when she would need to leave her little dog at different kennels. When she would go to pick up her beloved pet the dog would be seriously stressed out, she would smell extremely bad, and even her blankets had a foul smell. Carol would begin feeling guilty (mommy guilt as she put it) each time she did this. She could not believe that there was not a reasonably priced and easily accessible kennel that she could leave her dog at. Also, there seemed to not be any places where she could leave her pet without feeling bad as she drove off. Carol did state that “there is a nice kennel in Bandon.” The problem for her was that Bandon was a half hour out of her way and in the opposite direction of her determined destination. The kennel had a few restrictions that also made it hard for Carol. They were strict on pick up times and have rules about not picking up animals on Sundays. This led to many issues for Carol, because sometimes she would get back from her trips on a Sunday. It all became inconvenient and frustrating for her.
Then one day a light bulb went off in Carol’s head and she thought “I cannot be the only person who feels this way”. So began her adventure in taking on her own pet care business. She told me “I have a great yard and I speak fluent “dog.” Being a pet lover myself, I had to laugh because I knew exactly what she meant. Over 10 years later, she has over 200 clients and loves all the animals as if they were her own. Carol’s business is called Carol’s Pet Sitting. She will watch your loved ones at her home or yours. She takes a limited number of friendly sociable dogs into her home at one time or she will go to your home and feed your animals while you and your family are out of town. She also gathers mail, lets the pets out, does home security checks…and much more. She likes to think of her home as a camp for dogs. Much like the ones we often send our children to during a much needed break. All of the dogs always come in at night to sleep. She accepts extra large dogs on a case by case basis. She is also experienced with the feeding and the caring of livestock. She has two horses or her own. She takes in birds such as parrots. She can provide animal owners with excellent references for their dogs, livestock, and birds. She has had a solid list of clients for over 15 years. She has established a positive name and rapport between herself and her clients. If you ever are in need of a safe, fun and friendly environment for your pet you can find her business on Facebook.
She can also be contacted by phone at 541-297-6039.
Carol Shaw spoke to me and told me that her pet sitting business began when she would need to leave her little dog at different kennels. When she would go to pick up her beloved pet the dog would be seriously stressed out, she would smell extremely bad, and even her blankets had a foul smell. Carol would begin feeling guilty (mommy guilt as she put it) each time she did this. She could not believe that there was not a reasonably priced and easily accessible kennel that she could leave her dog at. Also, there seemed to not be any places where she could leave her pet without feeling bad as she drove off. Carol did state that “there is a nice kennel in Bandon.” The problem for her was that Bandon was a half hour out of her way and in the opposite direction of her determined destination. The kennel had a few restrictions that also made it hard for Carol. They were strict on pick up times and have rules about not picking up animals on Sundays. This led to many issues for Carol, because sometimes she would get back from her trips on a Sunday. It all became inconvenient and frustrating for her.
Then one day a light bulb went off in Carol’s head and she thought “I cannot be the only person who feels this way”. So began her adventure in taking on her own pet care business. She told me “I have a great yard and I speak fluent “dog.” Being a pet lover myself, I had to laugh because I knew exactly what she meant. Over 10 years later, she has over 200 clients and loves all the animals as if they were her own. Carol’s business is called Carol’s Pet Sitting. She will watch your loved ones at her home or yours. She takes a limited number of friendly sociable dogs into her home at one time or she will go to your home and feed your animals while you and your family are out of town. She also gathers mail, lets the pets out, does home security checks…and much more. She likes to think of her home as a camp for dogs. Much like the ones we often send our children to during a much needed break. All of the dogs always come in at night to sleep. She accepts extra large dogs on a case by case basis. She is also experienced with the feeding and the caring of livestock. She has two horses or her own. She takes in birds such as parrots. She can provide animal owners with excellent references for their dogs, livestock, and birds. She has had a solid list of clients for over 15 years. She has established a positive name and rapport between herself and her clients. If you ever are in need of a safe, fun and friendly environment for your pet you can find her business on Facebook.
She can also be contacted by phone at 541-297-6039.
Always Young Skincare by Beth Keller
Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Kristal Vaught-Preston to get a little bit of the story about her little local business. First off I wanted to get to know a little about her personally. She told me that she is 39 years young and that she had waited until she was a little bit older to finish her education and start a career. She wanted to be sure that she chose something that she would be very passionate about. For her that passion was skin care and helping people who did not feel good about themselves. “Many people do not feel good about their appearance whether it is due to age, acne, or other skin issues.” She is very passionate about what she does, loves what she is doing, and happens to be very good at her chosen career. Kristal recently moved to Coos Bay and brought her business with her. Prior to moving to Coos Bay she ran her business in Klamath Falls. She realized when she moved here that her business would take a bit before getting off the ground because she is new to the area. She stated “people do not know me here.” She is hoping to change that status soon. I can tell you from personal observation once you meet her you will love her, she is absolutely adorable. She has a very upbeat personality and is always available to speak to anyone who has questions through text or a phone call. She explained to me that she offers several services including full body waxes, laser hair removal, microderm abrasion, and laser skin resurfacing, even tattoo removal. She also does custom facials, uses hot stones, does steams, and lots of relaxing massages.
After not being happy for many years with several different companies Kristal decided to make her own line of skin care products. She wanted something that was truly organic. She stated that “60% of the products we put on ourselves gets absorbed into our system.” She said she wanted her product to not only work, but work very well. From this “Always Young Skin Care” was born. It is an entire line of cleanser toners and serums as well as face wash. These are suitable for every skin type. They have anti aging properties as well. She states her product “is not only good for you, the ingredients can all be read, understood, and pronounced.” This basically means there are not a whole lot of strange things added into her products that you have no clue as to what they are. Kristal also has a line of cosmetics in the making; AYSC minerals. These products can be compared to the Bare Minerals product, but without the extra ingredients that similar companies use. She tries her best to offer great prices so that everyone can afford her services. She offers free consultations and military discounts. She has a Facebook page that is named after her business. Also, she offers discounts from time to time and drawings from her Facebook page. She looks forward to meeting many people in Coos Bay.
You can contact Kristal at 541-551-0754.
Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Kristal Vaught-Preston to get a little bit of the story about her little local business. First off I wanted to get to know a little about her personally. She told me that she is 39 years young and that she had waited until she was a little bit older to finish her education and start a career. She wanted to be sure that she chose something that she would be very passionate about. For her that passion was skin care and helping people who did not feel good about themselves. “Many people do not feel good about their appearance whether it is due to age, acne, or other skin issues.” She is very passionate about what she does, loves what she is doing, and happens to be very good at her chosen career. Kristal recently moved to Coos Bay and brought her business with her. Prior to moving to Coos Bay she ran her business in Klamath Falls. She realized when she moved here that her business would take a bit before getting off the ground because she is new to the area. She stated “people do not know me here.” She is hoping to change that status soon. I can tell you from personal observation once you meet her you will love her, she is absolutely adorable. She has a very upbeat personality and is always available to speak to anyone who has questions through text or a phone call. She explained to me that she offers several services including full body waxes, laser hair removal, microderm abrasion, and laser skin resurfacing, even tattoo removal. She also does custom facials, uses hot stones, does steams, and lots of relaxing massages.
After not being happy for many years with several different companies Kristal decided to make her own line of skin care products. She wanted something that was truly organic. She stated that “60% of the products we put on ourselves gets absorbed into our system.” She said she wanted her product to not only work, but work very well. From this “Always Young Skin Care” was born. It is an entire line of cleanser toners and serums as well as face wash. These are suitable for every skin type. They have anti aging properties as well. She states her product “is not only good for you, the ingredients can all be read, understood, and pronounced.” This basically means there are not a whole lot of strange things added into her products that you have no clue as to what they are. Kristal also has a line of cosmetics in the making; AYSC minerals. These products can be compared to the Bare Minerals product, but without the extra ingredients that similar companies use. She tries her best to offer great prices so that everyone can afford her services. She offers free consultations and military discounts. She has a Facebook page that is named after her business. Also, she offers discounts from time to time and drawings from her Facebook page. She looks forward to meeting many people in Coos Bay.
You can contact Kristal at 541-551-0754.