The American Indian Cultural District and San Francisco Heritage are proud to share the addition of The Hair Place & More Barbershop (3166 22nd Street) to the Legacy Business Registry, the first Native American-owned business to join this significant city-run program.
The salon today is a true trailblazer, operating as the city’s first American Indian woman-owned barbershop and salon. Originally opened as Holidays Hair in 1980 by Don “Doc” Holiday, in 2004 longtime co-owner Debbie Santiago became the sole owner and rebranded and expanded the businesses’ offerings to include a comprehensive range of both men’s and women’s hair and nail services. And for the past 10 years, Santiago has had the assistance of co-worker Johnson, also American Indian, who has been helping to move the business forward. The Hair Place is located on 22nd Street in San Francisco’s Mission District—a historically significant home to a large concentration of Native-owned businesses and organizations.
Beyond high-quality hair and nail services, The Hair Place serves as a vibrant cultural hub. The space features a Native American mural and offers handmade American Indian jewelry and indigenous artwork for sale. These culturally rooted items celebrate the rich heritage and artistic traditions of American Indian communities, offering customers the opportunity to purchase unique, culturally significant pieces. Under the expert guidance of Santiago, the barbershop and salon successfully blends exceptional business services with cultural celebration and community empowerment.
Santiago is not only an American Indian woman entrepreneur but also a celebrated local leader. Her community roles include serving as the Chair for the local American Indian Advisory Council and as a Community Ambassador for the American Indian Cultural District. She was a co-founder of the American Indian Cultural District, and her contributions to the American Indian community extend to years of work with the Indian Education Program and the American Indian Center. Her lifelong advocacy and community leadership have been instrumental in shaping the path for future generations.
San Francisco’s Legacy Business Registry program (est. 2015) is the first-of-its-kind in the U.S. The program supports and promotes iconic, small businesses over 30 years in operation that are long-standing pillars of our communities and neighborhoods. The program provides marketing, business assistance, and specialized grants for local small businesses included on the Registry. Learn more at legacybusiness.org.
