After more than 40 years behind the chair and nearly three decades as a West 7th neighborhood fixture, Andrea Burnstein quietly closed the door to A Touch of Andrea Salon (1081 West 7th) on Christmas Eve.
Burnstein, who has cut hair in St. Paul for more than 41 years, said the decision to retire is both emotional and deeply personal. Her final day included just three appointments before she stepped back, took a breath and began dismantling the space that has been as much a community living room as a business.
“I grew up behind the chair,” Burnstein said. “I’ve had wonderful people who stuck by me through thick and thin. I’m just incredibly grateful.”
Burnstein opened A Touch of Andrea 29 years ago, building a loyal following that followed her from earlier locations near Shamrock’s and a Randolph Avenue location before settling into her current spot 14½ years ago. She does not own the building, but credits her landlords—owners of Supreme Electric—for their generosity and old-fashioned approach.
“It was a handshake deal,” she said. “No contract. They’ve been just wonderful human beings.”
A graduate of Horst Education Center, Burnstein describes herself as part of the “O.G.” generation of stylists, long before sleek, high-end salons became common. Her shop reflected a different philosophy—comfortable, conversational and unpretentious.
“I never wanted something sterile,” she said. “Mine is more wicker and beer than leather and champagne. You come in, we talk, have coffee. It’s like getting your hair done in the kitchen.”
That approach resonated. Clients became friends, neighbors stopped in to chat, and longtime regulars shared life milestones in the chair. Among them is Helen Mott, a retired nurse and one of Burnstein’s earliest clients, whose hair Burnstein has done since beauty school.
“I’ve watched people grow up, get married, have kids,” Burnstein said. “It’s the stereotypical small-town beauty shop, but those places don’t exist much anymore.”
Burnstein, who lives nearby and raised her son in the neighborhood, said closing the salon also reflects the realities of self-employment. Over her career, she never had paid sick days, vacations, employer-provided insurance or a retirement plan.
“Nobody invests in your future but you,” she said, noting she began planning for retirement at age 23 after advice from a cousin. “If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be able to do this today.”
While Burnstein plans to fully retire from running a salon, she expects to continue doing hair occasionally to supplement income and stay connected—on her own terms.
“I’ll always do hair to some extent,” she said. “But because I want to, not because I have to.”
She looks forward to spending more time with family in Florida, caring for her father, and focusing on her own well-being after decades of caring for others.
Burnstein will officially turn in her keys Jan. 30—the same date she first opened her salon 29 years ago. She still keeps the first dollar she earned.
As she prepares to say goodbye, Burnstein said she will miss the relationships most of all—the conversations, the cookies dropped off by clients, the sense of belonging.
“I’m not letting go of all of it,” she said. “It’s who I am.”
On Christmas Eve, she’ll close the door quietly, ending a chapter that shaped a neighborhood—and countless lives—one haircut at a time.
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