After 11 years at Haircutters of Love Lane in Mattituck, barber Maggie Harrigan has opened her own establishment in Riverhead.
Called Stitch & Crown Barber Co., the brand-new barbershop opened for business on July 14. “I’ve been dreaming about what I could do if I had my own space and what I could do to make it mine,” says Harrigan.
After a friend mentioned to her that home occupations were allowed to operate in Riverhead’s RB-40 residential zoning districts, Harrigan decided to obtain a permit and make some renovations to turn a room on the first floor of her home into a shop.
With a little help from her friends, the work was done in two months. The shop now has a separate path and entrance and is set apart from the residence.
Stitch and Crown is named after Harrigan’s late dog, Stitch. “I have a tattoo of her in a crown and a cape, so that is the logo,” she says. Designed by Justin Calderon, a Las Vegas-based artist, the distinctive logo was hand painted on the wall of the shop by Harrigan’s longtime friend Taylor Talmage of Long Odds Signsmiths. (If you love the logo, swag including shirts and hats are available.)
“I have a few entrepreneurial friends,” says Harrigan. “I wanted to be self-employed. I was jealous of all the people working from home during Covid.”
Born in Jamesport and raised in Cutchogue, Harrigan decided to become a barber at age 17 after visiting a Manhattan barbershop and being inspired by the atmosphere. She completed barber school in 2010 in Hempstead, worked at a shop in Northport for several years and made the move to Love Lane in May of 2015.
“It’s a big change leaving Love Lane,” Harrigan says. “Sandy (Haircutters of Love Lane co-owner Sandy Lazar) was very supportive and understanding.”
Harrigan has added some special services and promotions on her booking website, like father and kid (under 12) deals, early/late hours on certain days, a mobile option with an $80 travel fee plus the cost of a cut, and off-hour, last minute haircut requests for $75. Men’s cuts start at $40 (including gratuity), while buzz cuts are $20.
As she settles into her new space, Harrigan is excited to build something of her own in memory of her pet Stitch. Her customers continue to give her rave reviews across the board (from her online reviews: “always the best cut, Maggie is a true professional;” “Maggie is actually an artist, she works some kind of weird magic on my hair every time.”).
Stitch and Crown’s hours are Tuesday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m.-noon; closed Sunday and Monday. To book an appointment, go to Stitch and Crown’s website and follow along on Instagram for the latest updates.
