Look who's back
BUSINESS
Jim's Haircutting opens June 15
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
Right now the rooms are empty, but when Jim Cochrane opens Jim's Haircutting on June 15, it will feature two of the three state-of-the-art barber chairs he has ordered, a waiting area in front of a wall-mounted high definition TV, cupboards full of environmentally friendly hair care products, a children's corner and a private entrance and hairdressing room just for women.

Jim Cochrane in his new "green" space on Amelia Drive. ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent

Cochrane began his career as a barber in 1986 under the guidance of Joe Souza at Joe's Barber Shop on Pleasant Street. In 1989 he opened Jim's Hair in the Sanford Boat building, but ill health caused him to close after almost 18 years.

He and his wife Belinda kept their Nantucket home, but moved to New Hampshire and then to Arizona. Though Cochrane thought the Arizona climate would be good for him, he developed allergies and one month ago, the couple returned to the island.

"There's no place like this place," said Cochrane, stressing how refreshing he found the salt air, after being away for a while. "The people [in Arizona] are nice, but the people here - they're family."

Cochrane's decision to come back seems to be destined. He quickly found a spacious, airy location to lease at 16 Amelia Drive with plenty of parking, and is being joined in his business by Amy Gabrielson who worked part-time at his previous shop and gained lots of experience running her own salon in Dallas. She will be under the umbrella of Jim's Haircutting, specializing in trimming the hair of their female clients and providing coloring services, using an ammonia-free product line.

"We're as green as we can be and we'll keep getting greener," said Cochrane. "We're going to be a salon for the entire family, but at the same time I'll be serving my old clientele. Joe Souza instilled in me that it's important to serve the people of

Nantucket. I'm totally excited." I