Name of Business: California Cuts

Type of Business: Hair salon

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday

Location: 2080 East Canal Drive

Contact Information: 667-9790

History of Business: There are several stores lining the Canal Shopping Center in Turlock and behind the modest doors of one shop is California Cuts: a powerhouse of talent in the hairdressing industry lead by Josef Jabsi.

Trained in France with experience in countless international hair shows, Jabsi is responsible for the famous hairstyle of actress Meg Ryan in the hit film “You’ve Got Mail.” With features in Vogue and Elle magazines, Jabsi has been nominated as one of the top 10 hairstylists in America and brings a wealth of knowledge to the industry, even developing and patenting his own technique called “shocking.” This allows the stylist to create new shapes with the hair by drawing it to the opposite side of the head to cut, thus creating more bounce and volume. He also emphasizes the importance of approaching hair styling not just as an art, but also as a science.

 “It’s very important to draw on the geometrics of the face and the chemistry of the hair,” said Jabsi.

While he has international exposure working with the likes of Vidal Sassoon’s protégé Alan Benfield Bush, Jabsi’s decision to hone his craft in Turlock is more personal.

 “I’ve been there and done that,” he says of his career abroad. “I like Turlock because it’s like a small village. Everyone likes each other, or at least knows each other, and that is what I miss about home.”

Home is in Beirut, Lebanon which he left due to the political turmoil.

Upon coming to California three years ago he drove to the Bay Area every day before a position availed itself at California Cuts where he presently works alongside colleagues Jeanette Sarkis, Hany Sawma, and owner James Khizan who specializes in male barbering. While Jabsi still maintains a handful of clients in the Bay Area to which he attends to on weekends, he now manages California Cuts and has built up a strong clientele in Turlock which he attributes to word of mouth.

“This industry is all about relationships,” he said.

Business specialty: Cut, color, keratin treatments.