Sit Still Kids Salon looks to Winnetka for first Illinois location

A new children’s hair salon has been granted preliminary approval to open in Hubbard Woods.

Final approval is expected at a later Village Council meeting, as Winnetka trustees on Nov. 4 said they’d like to wait and hear any neighbor concerns about Sit Still Kids Salon, planned for 986 Green Bay Road.

Sit Still Kids is an 18-year-old nationwide brand that began in Oregon and now has locations in 15 states. The Hubbard Woods location would be Sit Still’s first in Illinois.

Scott Mangum, Winnetka’s community development director, said the proposed location of the salon would fill an approximate 1,400-square-foot space in a three-story mixed-use building. In addition to condominiums, the building contains Robbins Architecture and City Kids Dental.

Non-retail spaces are allowed, but must go obtain a special-use permit, according to Mangum.

In addition to the salon, the proposed space would include a small room used for birthday parties. Parking for the salon reportedly would be allowed on the street and in the Hubbard Woods parking garage just across the street.

The Winnetka Plan Commission via a 7-1 vote previously recommended approval of the salon.

Mangum noted that the Plan Commission had received four written comments against the salon, mostly from condo residents. Their concerns included pedestrian safety when crossing the street, parking availability, noise and infrastructure issues.

Speaking to the council, Brittany Jordan, local franchisee of Sit Still Kids Salon, said she has worked to address those concerns in her proposal. She said that she plans on installing insulation and other noise-reduction measures, and the salon will have a “schedule ahead tool” that will allow parents to plan ahead of their appointment.

Addressing infrastructure concerns, Jenn Epstein, with the building’s property management company Hoffmann Commercial Real Estate, told trustees that the building was remodeled in 2022 to include improvements to the pipes.

Jordan added that she doesn’t believe that the salon will contribute to any infrastructure pressures within the building.

“We’re excited to bring this warm family-friendly business to Hubbard Woods, a district that reflects the values and characteristics of Winnetka,” Jordan said. “Our mission is simple: to create a space where children feel comfortable and parents feel cared for. Sit Still combines high-quality service with a thoughtful modern design that meets the needs of today’s Winnetka family.”

After hearing from two condo residents sharing their concerns during public comment, Village President Bob Dearborn suggested that trustees wait to grant final approval of the salon to see if more concerns surface and if trustees would like to ask for more clarifications.

“It gives us a little time and for neighbors to again weigh in on their concerns, and we can look into those, or if any trustees have any issues they want to talk about along the way,” he said.

While the final approval did not happen on Tuesday, all trustees showed support for the salon.

“I think it’ll be a value add for the community,” Trustee Kirk Albinson said. “It’ll also add more foot traffic in our downtown. … So hopefully it’ll be a positive impact on those other businesses in the area.”

Dearborn said the final approval will likely be on the council’s next agenda for Nov. 18, and he indicated that it most likely would appear on that meeting’s consent agenda.

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