For Alicia Jewell, owner of Wild Poppy Hair Salon, her path has usually been guided by intuition (like when your heart nudges you forward before your head catches up).

That instinct is how Wild Poppy found its way to Old Town Lafayette.

A Door Opens

After more than 20 years behind the chair, first in Boulder and then running her own salon in Nederland, Alicia and her husband moved to Lafayette last winter. She was still commuting from “NED,” still figuring out what came next and still living in the in-between.

Then one evening, on a walk to dinner, she passed a space in Old Town.

“I remember thinking, that would be a perfect salon,” she says.

So she reached out to the building owner. One thing led to another and just like that, what started as a passing thought became a place. This is how many chapters in Alicia’s story begin—not with a grand plan, but  with a feeling she trusts enough to follow.

Believing in the Magic (and Doing a Lot of Work)

Alicia laughs when she talks about it, but there’s a truth in her philosophy that feels almost mythic: sometimes, you have to believe in magic.

“I think most entrepreneurs live in a bit of a fantasy world,” she says. “You just assume things will work out.”

That doesn’t mean there isn’t hard work… there’s so much of it. From opening her first Nederland salon in just two weeks after unexpectedly inheriting a lease, to juggling hair clients by day and moonlighting in wedding florals by night, Alicia has built her business through dedication and creativity. But underneath the effort is something solid: a deep trust in timing, alignment, and knowing when to say yes.

“I don’t go after things that aren’t meant for me,” she says. “I take chances on things that come my direction when it feels right.”

Wild Poppy is one of those things.

A Salon That Feels Like Home

Step inside Wild Poppy and you’ll feel it immediately. The space is warm, calm, and inviting. That’s intentional. Florals are an extension of how she sees beauty: organic, imperfect, and alive.

That floral sensibility shows up everywhere at Wild Poppy: in the name, the aesthetic, the energy, and the way the space feels less curated and more grown. It’s a nod to her love of the outdoors and florist alter ego.

Alicia wanted to create a neighborhood salon where stylists feel like friends and clients feel genuinely cared for. There’s a high level of technical skill and education behind every cut and color but hospitality is at the forefront.

“A beautiful, clean, welcoming space is my priority,” she says. “I want people to feel taken care of the moment they walk in.”

At Wild Poppy, a hair appointment isn’t just maintenance. It’s an hour or two of self-care, deep listening, and attention.

Hair Is Never Just Hair

Spend enough time in a stylist’s chair and you realize something important: hair holds stories.

Over the years, Alicia has walked alongside clients through pregnancies, marriage, divorce, joy, grief, and everything in between. She’s helped teenagers find confidence through gender affirmation. She’s watched clients grow into themselves confidently.

One story stays close to her heart: a young client on the autism spectrum who found haircuts overwhelming at first. Over time, those hair appointments became a safe place to explore communication, confidence, and self-expression. Eventually, she began coming in on her own—armed with inspiration photos and music recommendations to share with Alicia. Moments like that are why Alicia believes the best hairdressers are intuitive.

“A lot of people come in when they’re going through changes,” she says. “Hair can feel like one thing they can control. My job is to make sure it fuels their confidence and helps bring what is inside, out.”

Finding Her Place

For the first time in decades, Alicia says she feels truly at home.

Old Town Lafayette fits her life in a way that feels comfortable, familiar, and meant for her all along. Many of her Nederland clients still make the drive to see her. New Lafayette clients feel instantly known. The creative, collaborative spirit of Old Town mirrors exactly what she values: community, not competition. Connection, not comparison.

She’s renovating a 125-year-old house nearby. She’s planting roots. She’s building something slowly and intentionally.

And she’s happy.

“This is the happiest I’ve been in a really long time,” she says. “Everything just feels really good here.”

What You Leave With

Ask Alicia what she wants people to feel when they leave Wild Poppy, and the answer is simple:

Confidence.

No matter how someone arrives—overwhelmed, uncertain, ready to try bangs—she wants them to walk out feeling lighter. More themselves. Ready for whatever comes next.

And that’s the magic of Wild Poppy Hair Salon. Not just great hair, but the reminder that when you listen closely to your needs, your instincts, your happiness… you tend to end up exactly where you’re meant to be.

About Alicia, Lightening Round!

You can find her at:
The Read Queen Bookstore. “I’m in there all the time.”

Go-to product pick:
Unite’s 7 Seconds leave-in conditioner.

Current hair inspo:
’90s volume, big bouncy blowouts, and clean, confident bobs.

Mood booster:
Schitt’s Creek or a Nate Bargatze stand-up routine.

Best compliment a client can give:
“I felt listened to.”
“I feel confident.”

That’s the Wild Poppy energy—thoughtful, warm, a little nostalgic, and deeply human. Come as you are. Leave feeling more like yourself.

📍 211 N Public Rd, Suite 120 | Lafayette, CO 80026
🌿 wildpoppysalon.com
📸 @wildpoppylafayette