Journey of our History

Forty-three years ago, Jack Darby opened DJ Everett Salon.  At the time he had two partners and opened the salon to create to a different salon experience for people.  Jack envisioned a place with people that had the tools necessary to cater to people from all backgrounds with different wants and needs while stopping the possessive nature hairstylist and salons often have.  

Jack structured his professional business model on quality service, quality pricing and accountability. He wanted an environment with workmanship that was valued and honored.  He trained his staff to guarantee their work while striving to continue education, and work as a team.  Jack created a unique working experience where people could learn, grow and work together creating an atmosphere of community rather than singularity.  

In doing this, Jack had created a home for a lot of stylists and provided comfort to a lot of clients.  He is never given enough credit, but he was an amazing educator, a wonderful and generous man and a thoughtful boss.  Jack spent 45 years learning, teaching, training and building relationships with most of Longmont.  In some cases, Jack had been cutting hair for three generations of family members.  

Creating a legacy, he retired last year with more loving relationships from clients who have become family, respect from former employees that came to send him off and a loyalty from the ones left continuing his ideals and dreams.

After Jack retired, his daughter, Heather was able to keep the salon open though the pandemic with an incredible staff and decided that the salon needed to be recognized as the gem it is.

Heather, took on the mission with her entire staff to modernize, streamline and grow the small-town salon into something more.  After 25 years of watching, learning and developing Heather took all the best things DJ Everetts had and implemented additional services in the salon to increase what could be provided to clients.  

Heather has watched, trained and worked with countless business owners and she decided moving forward she wanted to bridge the gap between stylist and customer.  She found that in a lot of cases salons exploit, undervalue, under educate and burn bridges with customers.  She wanted to bring back traditional value to workmanship and artistry.

At Darby James, customers are more than clients, they have value. In the industry, many have forgotten that people come to us during their worst days of their lives, the best days of their lives and every day in between.  Salons, stylist's and technicians are not trained anymore to value people or help them find their worth and stylists are not taught they have worth.  This is not the case at Darby James.

Heather has created a space that values hard work, advancement, accountability and integrity from her entire staff. She values clients, their needs and gives them more than services but connection, worth and value. 

As the salon moves forward into its next chapter, Heather wants to have an environment where communication bridges the gap in relationship and allows a customer and stylist to create value together.

45 years ago, we opened in the historical downtown of Longmont, Colorado enriched with history and traditions. Moving into 2024, we launch our traditions from the past in our new location while taking what was and what will be with our new brand and salon into the new growing city of Firestone, CO.