Children’s hairdresser set to stay in Riverdale

Correction appended

Riverdale won’t be losing its Someplace Special after all.

The children’s haircutter, which is set to close up shop at its current 490 W. 238th St. location on Thursday, will reopen in a new location on Sunday, Nov. 6.
Suzanne Axelbank, the shop’s owner, said it will move to Cithara Hair Salon, at 503 West 236th St.

“I’m really glad because I love working here and I love doing children’s hair. I love doing what I do, it’s the one thing I enjoy,” Ms. Axelbank said. “And people come from miles and miles away for these haircuts.”

After reading in the Oct. 13 issue of The Riverdale Press that she was leaving her current location and looking for a new space for the salon, Ms. Axelbank said three or four other hairstylists called her.

One of them was from Josee Torres, the owner of Cithara Hair Salon. Ms. Axelbank realized she had met her match.

“Because I work with kids I was looking for a situation where I would be able to be alone in the shop if possible,” Ms. Axelbank said. “He doesn’t work on Monday and Sunday, and those are the days I’m going to be alone in the shop,” she said.

Ms. Axelbank has been cutting hair for 35 years, but said she founded Someplace Special about a decade ago after realizing that children’s hair was her true calling.

Since then, her business has grown into a destination for kids’ haircuts. She said she’s acquired customers who will drive as far as 50 miles to bring their kids to see her and in 2009, a city guide for parents, goCityKids, named Someplace Special New York’s best haircutting place for children.

The business will maintain its old phone number.