Century-old beauty school gets cut

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This article was published 04/07/2017 (2989 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 100 years after opening for business in Winnipeg, Scientific Marvel Beauty School will close its doors for the final time at the end of October.

The school, which at its peak operated 13 locations across Canada, began with humble beginnings in Winnipeg in 1916.

“It’s very sad,” said Liz VanderVeen, campus director of the Winnipeg location. “It’s been around for forever. Some of our clients, especially in the hair department, are seniors coming in with their walkers who have been coming here since they were kids.”

The current owners of Marvel Canada, based out of Toronto, have decided to retire and are shutting down operation of all their schools.

The Winnipeg location offers 10-month hairstyling and esthetics programs as well as a 12-week nail technician program. Over the past three years, about 120 students have graduated per year. They go on to have a 98 per cent success rate finding work in the industry, VanderVeen said.

The school also has a strong reputation in the city, with many local salons calling to inquire about students in graduating classes, VanderVeen said.

“It’s been an amazing school that has put out tons of amazing stylists and salon owners,” she said. “Some stylists have become platform artists and done magazine work; many have gone on to own their own businesses. As far as the history of the school goes, we’ve run the gamut, with every season of changes and trends.”

The buildings Scientific Marvel operate out of on 400 block of Portage Avenue and 200 block of Kennedy Street have been sold, but it will continue classes at the locations until the final students graduate in October.

During the last month of operation, there will be only two students left at the school. One of them, Danielle Disbrowe, said while being in the final class offers more one-on-one time with their teacher, it’s also sad to know it’s all coming to an end.

“I love it here,” she said. “It’s been the best experience I’ve ever had. It’s very sad in a way, but it’s also nice being one of only two students being taught. With a bigger class, you’d have more students taking the teacher’s time, so it’s kind of nice being one of the last two.”

The school had offered both affordable services to clients — $12 for a men’s haircut and $15 for women’s haircut and blow-dry — and an affordable education for students.

The programs at Marvel were cheaper than many of its competitors, and the central downtown location was convenient for many students. In order to show appreciation to its loyal customers, the school will be holding an open house on Aug. 14 at 1 p.m. to say goodbye.

“Some clients have been coming here their whole lives and are just heartbroken,” VanderVeen said. “They have never gone anywhere else to get their hair done since they were children. It’s going to be sad because after so many years, you start to build a relationship with clients.”

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca