Katie Stoddard never expected her hair to qualify as a masterpiece until a friend suggested the possibility.

“She put it very simply when describing Sal as being just like an artist, and you know what? He really is,” said Stoddard, a communication instructor.

The creative force Stoddard is raving about is hair stylist Sal Biundo, who runs Shear Changes, 201 E. Locust St. The beauty salon offers a wide variety of beauty work including hair styling, nail services, body waxing and ear piercing, but it’s Biundo who has emerged most as a feature attraction.

“I am usually booked all day,” Biundo said. “So much to the point that I tell my customers to schedule their appointments some four days in advance.”

Stoddard wasn’t surprised with Biundo’s popularity.

“Sal can do things to my hair that I couldn’t even imagine doing to my own hair,” she said. “It seems like I am not the only one who is receiving such excellent cuts from Sal. I’m running into more and more people on the streets with beautiful haircuts and all of them tell me their hair was cut by Sal.”

Biundo’s hair styling skills didn’t come without expert training. He’s been cutting hair for about 10 years and spent three years in Italy mastering techniques and styles.

He moved to DeKalb with his brother about two-and-a-half years ago, favoring the small community for business.

“I love the small-town feeling here in DeKalb,” Biundo said. “I thought about opening in Chicago, but decided against it because DeKalb was a much better place to live and run a smaller business of my own.”

DeKalb has given Biundo more than a successful start. In Sycamore, he met his future wife, Tammy, also a hair stylist. The couple now look after their 5-month-old baby girl.

Meanwhile, Biundo’s reputation grows.

“Sal is extremely informative about what he thinks will look good on his customers,” Stoddard said. “He is the kind of person that will look at you and know what the best hair cut or style might be. On the other hand, the customers must communicate with Sal and give their input. And most importantly, Sal makes them feel comfortable with whatever they want to do with their hair.”

Stoddard added that Biundo has earned respect from customers because he isn’t pushy.

“Sal will always take time with each and every customer,” she said. “He is genuinely concerned with each customer getting the perfect haircut. Even if he’s running behind schedule, Sal will always put 110 percent into every haircut.”

Biundo said it’s important to spend a lot of time with each customer because of individual haircut needs.

“I will always talk with the person and see what looks best,” he said. “It all depends on what works best with the hair that each person has. There are so many different factors in place, like a person’s daily lifestyle or how good their everyday maintenance is with their hair.”

Biundo offers a wide range of services for haircut-seekers, including basic cuts, styles, perms, straightening and up-dos. He hopes to do more haircuts for formal and social events.

“Many people don’t know this, but I would love to cut hair for high school, fraternity and sorority dances,” Biundo said. “I also love doing weddings and other formal events that require a meticulous cut.”

He believes his business is a good way for students and teachers to stay in DeKalb when they search for a good haircut.

“There is no reason why anyone should pay two or three times the price to get something done with their hair when they can get one here for much less,” Biundo said. “It’s also so much more convenient to just take a five-minute drive or take a bus here than it is to go home or all the way out to Chicago specifically for a haircut.”

Biundo can be reached at Shear Changes at 758-1635. His hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.