Every business starts with a dream. For Wish Dry Bar, that dream was creating a salon experience that felt different—luxurious without pretension, professional without coldness, welcoming without being casual. Here's the story of how that dream became reality.
The Vision
Founder Sogol Onsori had a clear picture of what she wanted to create. A space where women could get beautiful hair without the typical salon experience—the rushed appointments, the impersonal service, the feeling of being processed rather than pampered.
She imagined a salon where the experience mattered as much as the result. Where clients could relax with a glass of champagne while being styled. Where the design elevated your mood the moment you walked in. Where every detail was intentional.
The Timing
January 2021. Not exactly ideal timing to open a business based on close personal contact. COVID-19 was reshaping everything, and conventional wisdom said to wait. Delay the opening. See how things develop. Minimize risk.
But the space on Bellevue Avenue was perfect—natural light, the right size, a location the North Shore community would embrace. Interior designer Peter Wilds had already started bringing the vision to life. Waiting felt like watching an opportunity fade.
Sometimes the right decision isn't the safe decision.
Opening Doors
We opened with strict safety protocols. Masks, distancing, enhanced sanitation. It wasn't the experience we'd originally envisioned, but it was something. And people came.
Not because we advertised heavily. Word of mouth. One satisfied client telling another. The West Vancouver community embraced what we were building, even in its constrained early form. That organic growth felt more meaningful than any marketing campaign could have achieved.
Building the Team
A salon is only as good as its people. Finding stylists who shared the vision—who understood that we were creating an experience, not just providing a service—took time and careful selection.
We looked for technical skill, of course. But we also looked for warmth, professionalism, and the ability to connect with clients. Someone can be an excellent technician and still not fit. The team needed to embody the brand.
Expanding to Vancouver
The second location at Fairmont Pacific Rim came about because the demand existed. Hotel guests, business travelers, downtown clients—they wanted the Wish experience without traveling to West Vancouver.
Opening a second location is a different challenge than opening the first. Systems need to be replicable. Quality needs to be consistent across locations. The brand identity needs to translate to a new space. We learned things opening the second location that we wish we'd known opening the first.
Lessons Learned
Building Wish Dry Bar taught us lessons you can't learn any other way. You'll work harder than you imagined. Long hours become normal. Sleep becomes a luxury.
People matter more than processes. Get the right people and processes figure themselves out.
Details matter. The small touches—phone chargers at stations, the right music, quality products—add up to an overall experience.
Listen to clients. They'll tell you what they want if you pay attention.
Adjust constantly. What worked last month might not work next month. Stay flexible.
Where We Are Now
Two locations serving different communities. A team we're proud of. Clients who come back again and again. Press coverage we never sought but appreciate.
But the work continues. There's always something to improve, someone to train, a system to refine. That's the nature of building something—it's never truly finished.
The Real Measure
The real measures of success aren't press mentions or Instagram followers. It's the stylist who's been with us since day one and still loves coming to work. The client who brings her daughter for her first professional blowout. The bride who chooses us for the most important day of her life.
Those moments—when the dream we had connects with real lives in meaningful ways—that's why we do this.
Visit Us
If you've never been to Wish Dry Bar, we'd love to welcome you. Experience what we've built—the space, the service, the attention to detail. Whether it's a quick blowout or bridal styling for your wedding, we're ready to make you look and feel amazing.
The dream continues, one client at a time.