Corning stylist revives fire-damaged building into new salon

CORNING — Twenty-four years ago, lifelong Corning resident Shannon Thomas decided to go to beauty school out of boredom.

In 2022, decades later, she purchased a dilapidated building on Solano Street — roofless and charred by fire — with the dream of opening a salon.

“Here I am, three years later, not knowing that it was going to take as much money as it did to put back together,” Thomas said. “But (with) absolutely zero regrets.”

Thomas opened Solano Street Hair Friday afternoon just before the town’s annual Homecoming Parade. She and her daughter noted they especially liked the location of the shop since it would give them front row seats to the town’s parades. Sharing the special day with the community reflected Thomas’ deeper goal in opening the salon — revitalizing Corning’s downtow