Rock Paper Scissors taking over former St. Clouds restaurant space

Rock Paper Scissors salon owner Brianne Ingertila is working on one last move in Madrona, putting her salons under one roof — the long-vacant St. Clouds restaurant space on 34th Avenue East.

“We grew up going to St. Clouds — we love St. Clouds,” she said, “so we’re trying to keep as much of the feel as we can.”

Ingertila, who studied at the Gary Manuel Aveda Institute in Seattle, started styling hair in Madrona with her small, two-chair Sage studio in 2012, and then grew into Rock Paper Scissors in 2014. She opened Kids Rock Paper Scissors next door on East Spring Street last year.

After nearly 20 years in the neighborhood, St. Clouds closed its doors in October 2018, a little more than a year after Michael McGloin took the business over from John Platt and Paul “Pablo” Butler.

The building has been vacant for more than a year now, and Madrona neighbors have been eager to see what would take its place. While rumors about Rock Paper Scissors only recently popped up on social media, Ingertila had the St. Clouds space locked down back in August. She ducked questions for a while, she said. She made an official announcement with a Dec. 9 Instagram video. Plans are to open the new location in the spring.

“It’s going to be beautiful,” Ingertila said, “at least the salon I’ve always dreamed of.”

Kids Rock Paper Scissors will be located on the left side of the lobby, where the bar used to be, Ingertila said, and be critter themed and the adult-focused salon in St. Cloud’s former main dining area, which are both being designed with repurposed wood and green materials to promote sustainability.

“Luckily, this place, the whole flow and function of it was perfect,” she said.

The hassle of removing the kitchen hood will be skipped, providing a little St. Clouds flavor to Rock Paper Scissors, and will be where a shampoo back bar will be. Ingertila said she’s also leaving space to offer beer, wine and other beverages.

“So, you’re going to be able to sit up there and process with a glass of wine,” she said.

The space is large enough to offer a few more stations, and the new Rock Paper Scissors will continue focusing strictly on hair.

“It’s what we’re good at, it’s what we love to do, so we’re sticking with that,” Ingertila said.

Not only will Rock Paper Scissors be more prominently centered in Madrona’s business corridor at 1131 34th Ave., the St. Clouds location also will provide room to create a community gathering space, Ingertila said, even if people aren’t looking for a haircut.

Ingertila plans to make the new Rock Paper Scissors available for community events and offer some of her own.

“Everybody wants a little piece of that backyard in the back, myself as well,” she said.

Ingertila said she wants to host movie nights in the back patio area and other gatherings, possibly with some smoked meats — another passion of hers — and provide opportunities for bands to provide live music on weekends.

She also wants to offer the new space for rent during non-business hours, she said, and would like to partner with neighboring restaurants to offer package deals. If people like any of the featured bands at Rock Paper Scissors, Ingertila said, she could work to connect them for parties and other events.

Ingertila said Platt was part of the glue holding the Madrona community together with St. Clouds for so many years, and she feels it’s her turn to give back to the community.

“Hairdressers really do have the power to change the way people feel,” she said about their relationship to the community.

People wanting to watch St. Clouds transform into the new Rock Paper Scissors can follow the salon on Instagram @rpsmadrona.