HiFi Hair, a salon with a midcentury modern style, has opened in downtown Sioux Falls.

Owner Jeff Gimenez, who has 25 years’ experience cutting hair, said he never thought he’d have his own salon, but the pandemic last year changed everything for him.

Gimenez spent most of his career cutting hair in San Francisco, and he, his wife and their daughter moved to Sioux Falls in 2019.

“What I did for the first year was travel to San Francisco every six weeks, do 50 to 60 haircuts in five days and then fly back,” Gimenez said.

But when the pandemic hit, that travel was no longer possible.

“I had to take a couple side jobs and do some construction,” he said.

He decided it was time to try opening his own business and saw Sioux Falls as the perfect place to do it.

“I think that’s one of the things I fell in love with quickly after moving here was seeing the small-business culture and how they all lift each other up.”

Gimenez will handle all of the haircuts at HiFi Hair, and he’s also working with nail specialist Yanika Olsen, who will take nail appointments.

The goal is to expand to add a hair color specialist to the team.

“I want it to be a salon of specialists,” Gimenez said.

HiFi Hair also will feature rotating artwork and pop-up shops featuring local makers. Gimenez wants to create a culture of support and also a “high fidelity” vibe with vinyl records.

“You can come in, and we’ll listen to records” while you get your hair cut, Gimenez said.

HiFi Hair opened Tuesday in Nordic Hall on 13th Street between Main and Dakota avenues. Regular hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins will be accepted as available, and anyone is welcome to stop by to check out the featured art.