All In The Family

Shear Dimensions Hair Spa in Cranston has rolled with the changes in style and beauty.

Ever since they were young, Joe Faraone and Pat Petrinio were destined to work with people.
They were interested in the way customers looked and felt—before and after they left their
shops. Joe took to beauty and styling for men & women; while Pat, simply wanted to cut men’s
hair. Each of them worked not far away from each another in town for several years before
discussing the chance to one day be connected by that bond.

They eventually joined forces to form Shear Dimensions Hair Spa, located on 885 Reservoir
Ave. After more than three (3) decades, they are proving to be a strong team. Joanne Petrinio,
who is both Pat’s wife and Joe’s sister, says it was inevitable that they would work together.
“They wanted someplace in town and this location was up for sale,” “It’s a two-floor, fullservice
beauty salon. Pat has his own private room and just cuts men’s hair. Joe works with
men and women. He is truly an artist when it comes to styles.

Besides the hair cutting, there are private rooms and additional space available for pedicures,
manicures, facials, waxing, and other skin care needs. Their facility is spaced out with separate
sections to enable privacy. Even in a post-pandemic world, the Spa was well equipped to handle
the protocols established by federal and state guidelines. They have large, standing mirrors that
split the space between patrons. The seven independent contractors have the ability to move
around and get clients done effectively and with minimal contact.

During the pandemic, they were unable to open their salon for three months, Joanne said. They
could not see their regular customers or invite new business. They also needed an alternative
approach to staying afloat during the closing. PPP loans helped pay the bills and keep payroll
happening, along with Color-at-Home Kits which were one of the popular items we could
disperse while not able to be open, but there had to be a “Plan B” to account for the lost income.
Joanne’s idea of selling Neora skin care products turned out to be their blessing. Their assortment
of holistic skincare and wellness products were the reason they could withstand the sudden
decrease in income. However, she said the reason she selected Neora over the rest was
simple…results !!!

“I got amazing results after using Neora,” she said. “I looked and felt younger and I knew I
could help so many others do the same It was also a way to not only share my discovery with
others, but also have another revenue stream while the pandemic continued.”
Due to the success with the skin care products, the Spa continues selling them. She also
scheduled Zoom meetings since in-person meetings and parties were taboo last year.
As for Joe and Pat, their love of hair styling goes back many years. They have seen trends come
and go, but they maintain their sense of humor and love of working.

Joanne notes that Pat starts his day around 7:00 AM and do not leave until the last customer is
done, usually around 7:00 PM. Joe will be there anywhere from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM as long as
there’s someone who needs him. Then, they go back and do it all over again the next day. It’s
their dedication and service to their craft that sets them apart, she said.

While the pandemic restrictions have eased considerably from a year ago (they could only allow
one person into the Spa at a time in 2020), they are not quite at full capacity. They are currently
between 75 and 80 percent and hope to be closer to 90 percent by the spring.

Petrinio said some of their original customers never returned due to Covid. Others decided to
color their own hair at home, for example, in order to save money and not worry about being in
contact with others. They initially opened three days a week until the state allowed them to
expand their hours and number of people able to get inside.

Petrinio believes the visions of Joe and Pat have come to fruition over the last 3 to 6 decades.
“It was Joe’s dream to one day own his own business… To be able to keep it in the family and
work together. To actually create something this community has embraced, says something
about everyone. It’s a tribute to what they began with and what they have since accomplished,”
she said.

Shear Dimensions Hair Spa is open from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday, by
appointment only. Please call 401-942-0400 to schedule your next visit.
More information may be found by visiting their website at www.sheardimensionshairspa.com
or their Facebook page.

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