Salon Bastille Transforms Historic Jailhouse

Housed inside the red brick walls that once divided the Woodstock streets from its ne'er-do-wells, Salon Bastille has taken up residence as one of this town's most reputed boutique style salons.

The 1914 former jailhouse, complete with its original iron bars and a ring of warden keys outside of its old holding cell, has been transformed by owner Ashley Bahlau into a French-inspired hair studio that still preserves its historic charm.

Bahlau admitted to having no immediate intentions of opening up her own place until she was driving one day in 2009 and saw the "For Rent" sign that would change her career.

"I've always loved the building," Bahlau said. "I thought if I was going to have a salon anywhere, it was going to be in that building. I called the number on the sign on a Tuesday, and by Friday I'd signed a lease."

Bahlau had been working as a stylist at another salon in Downtown Woodstock for four years previous to this, but her independent spirit and business savvy coalesced that week when the old jail became hers.

"I'm an entrepreneur by nature," Bahlau said. "It was the natural 'next step' to have my own place. But it's really this building that did it. I wouldn't have just gone to a strip mall."

Careful to remain true to the roots of the building's origins but also wishing to instill a little a French flair, she decided to name the salon after the notorious fourteenth-century prison that played so prominently in the French Revolution. She then set out to balance the original floors and exposed brick walls with bright colors, cozy furnishings and soothing chandelier-lighting.

And although she'd installed a second chair, Bahlau was in no rush in to find another stylist.

"I just wanted to take my time and find the right person," Bahlau said.  "I had to make sure our personalities matched as well as find someone who did great hair. I was introduced to Megan [Filer]  through a mutual friend, and it's been a perfect match."

Megan Filer joined Salon Bastille in November of 2009 as a color specialist, and much like Bahlau, is intuitively aware of the emotional as well as the aesthetic reasons women come to them to change their appearance. It isn't just a matter of cutting and coloring someone's hair, but renewing a sense of one's identity.

"Our hair is the one thing we feel we have control over when everything else is out of control," Filer said.

Baulah agrees that hers is a profession that she believes she's truly in a position to help her clients feel better by not only by being their hairdresser, but also becoming their confidant.

"I've always said that it's a great business to be in because you are making people feel prettier and look prettier," Bahlau said. "But they also tell you everything, too.  So they not only leave looking prettier than when they came in, they're able to release a lot. They feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders when they leave."