Mother-son duo bring new family businesses to downtown Prince Albert
A new business in Prince Albert’s downtown is really two businesses and a family business.
After several years looking for a space, Ione MacDonald-Forsberg opened Ascending Shears Hair Design in November. After a lengthy search for his own ideal spot, he son Brian MacDonald also moved in with his business Synch TV and Audio.
The pair are now running an adjoining business at the corner of Central Avenue and River Street called SynchAscending.
“We use the name Synch-Ascending to encompass both businesses,” MacDonald explained. “It is all there. You have Ascending Hair Design and then you have Synch TV and Audio as our technology company.”
MacDonald said they liked the downtown location and wanted to be part of a better Prince Albert.
“The main reason we wanted (to) come downtown is the high visibility of it, but as well, we want to be part of the solution for Prince Albert,” MacDonald explained. “We’re very optimistic people. We love the lakes, we love the city and we want to showcase as much positivity as we can about PA.
“Especially downtown,” MacDonald-Forsberg added. “I remember the old downtown right. I miss that and there’s a lot of businesses I am noticing coming up.”
They both said they liked what the Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District (PADBID) is doing in the area.
They like the location because of the proximity to other businesses and the placement on a prominent corner.
“This is totally for advertising purposes,” MacDonald-Forsberg said when asked about the location. “This street is busy.”
Both said the location made sense because of the high visibility and proximity to seniors’ complexes and businesses like the MacIntosh Mall.
“I want to go to the three seniors homes and let them know I’m here and bring them in,” MacDonald-Forsberg explained.
MacDonald-Forsberg has been in the business for 36 years, most recently for 20 years at Creative Looks Hair Studio. She said she always wanted her own salon, and when opportunity presented itself, she took it. In the future, she hopes to incorporate, waxing, reiki, access bars, and massage therapy as well.
“This was my plan and my dream for a long time to have my own shop, and I finally have it,” she said.
MacDonald-Forsberg does not have her signage up yet but it is coming soon. The two shops officially opened on Nov. 1 but there is some minor work to do on MacDonald’s portion of the adjoined businesses.
“It has been going really good, lots of new (clients) coming already without even having signs,” MacDonald-Forsberg said.
The new space has also been rejuvenating. MacDonald-Forsberg cut her hours back at the previous salon, and was working at Pineview before starting her own salon.
“Now I’m concentrating on this and I’m lit up. again, so I want to work,” she said.
The two businesses are separated by an opening. The closeness allows MacDonald-Forsberg to head next door and help out at Synch when she finishes at the salon.
Sync TV and Audio offers repair services and installation of TV and audio equipment. MacDonald said they can usually fix “anything with an electrical board.”
Synch also does contract work for installation. MacDonald started the business two years ago, and was in a few different locations before finding a home downtown.
“Of course we wanted to team up as a family because we all had a similar goal in mind,” MacDonald said.
“I found this location (and) I wanted to open a family business. I value family values and small town communities,” he added.
The business is located at 805 Central Avenue.
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