“Hairdressing was the furthest thing from my mind,” smiles Birchler. Originally from the East Bay, Birchler ran in a tough crowd of professional boxers and kick boxers. Yet every time he visited his girlfriend at work he was inspired by the dynamic energy and creativity in the salon. With her encouragement, Birchler applied to beauty college in Sacramento. “I didn’t tell anyone,” he says.

While waiting to be interviewed, he bumped into the wife of a trainer at his karate school. Sensing his embarrassment, she let him in on a secret; not only was her husband a hairdresser, his mother owned the school. “Here was this mean, 6’3’, 215 lb, aggressive tough guy,” he says. “To realize this black belt instructor I respected was also a hairdresser completely changed my perspective.”

Darin was hooked from the first snip. He found a creative release he had never experienced having come from an athletic background. After working in Sacramento for a year and a half he slid into an apprenticeship at the “rebel black sheep of salons,” Architects and Heroes, in San Francisco, where he remained for eight years. “The artists had more freedom there, it was a looser structure,” says Birchler. “And they were turning out architecturally beautiful work.”

In the mid 90s, Birchler loaded up a U-Haul and struck out for Los Angeles with nothing more than a dream and a wad of cash burning his pocket. He landed a job at a Beverly Hills salon and in less than a year, Los Angeles magazine named Birchler “L.A.’s Hot New Up-and-Comer.” After 10 months, Birchler left the “restrictive salon environment” in pursuit of freelance work on photo shoots, commercials and music videos. “I wasn’t feeling the unity I was used to in San Francisco,” says Birchler. “The kids in San Francisco were artists, they loved what they did and they fed off each other’s talent.”

He teamed with friend and colorist, Amanda [last name] in an artist’s loft with panoramic views from the 11th floor of the old Asahi building. Word-of-mouth swept the city and soon Birchler’s reputation for architecturally genius cuts earned him a fierce following running the gamut from actors and musicians to college students and housewives. Within five years he had outgrown the space and began searching for a new location to expand his vision.

It was important to Birchler to hire the right staff in order to create a unique family environment where the artists could thrive and the clients would feel welcome. He encourages his staff to get to know everyone’s clients, not just their own. “No one’s going to walk in and feel judged by the staff. Some salons buy into that, they want the cattiness,” he says. “That’s not going to happen here. That’s why 18 years later I still love what I do.”

Chop Chop’s manager, Victor Camarillo, has a democratic approach to overseeing operations. He believes clear communication is the basis for a happy workplace and encourages the staff to contribute ideas that will enrich the atmosphere for everyone. “We’re a family,” says Camarillo. “And it’s our job to make people feel comfortable when they’re here, and look great when they leave.”

Though Camarillo always knew he wanted to work with hair, his parents held a more corporate vision for him. “It wasn’t going to happen,” he laughs. After forays into fashion and interior design, he went to live in London where he landed a job as an assistant in a salon. The rest was history. He returned to Los Angeles and began formal training at the Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica. Over the last 15 years, Camarillo has built a loyal following from Beverly Hills, to Pasadena and Hollywood. “Working in different salons has given me a lot of insight into what works and what doesn’t,” he says. In 2001 longtime friend, Darin Birchler, approached Camarillo about his concept for a new hair salon. Camarillo jumped on board as Birchler’s right hand man and in the winter of 2002, they opened the doors to Chop Chop.

As the only stylist adept at both color and cuts, Camarillo seeks inspiration from a mix of street culture and couture. “I love to blend classic cuts with an edgy twist,” he says. “I always give my clients something that expresses their individuality so they walk away feeling fresh.”

Thy grew up in Houston and moved to Seattle to attend college at the age of 17. After graduation she worked in finance by day and promoted local bands at a club called Revolver by night. When a colleague insinuated her nighttime gig could ‘ruin’ her reputation in finance, she knew the financial district was not her ultimate career destination.

“I’ve always loved hair,” she says. “I grew up around it. My mother was a hairdresser but she thought I should become a doctor or a lawyer.” Thy’s experience with club promoting inspired her to seek work in an environment that would both satisfy her artistic nature as well as appeal to her business savvy. “I knew I could be successful in hair,” she says. Thy followed her heart and relocated to Los Angeles where she attended the Sassoon Academy. She apprenticed with Sassoon for two years until she opted to leave for editorial work and maintain her client roster through house calls. Thy learned about Chop Chop through a friend and was impressed with the way Darin ran his business. Darin was equally impressed with Thy’s creative vision and business ingenuity. He immediately hired her as the salon’s Art Director responsible for overseeing the assistant and cutting programs, inspiring creativity in the salon through innovative workshops, as well as overseeing the quality and artistry of each look the salon produces.

Thy enjoys the instant gratification she receives from giving someone a great cut. “It’s a therapeutic session,” she says. “It’s very rare that people aren’t self-critical. But when you cut someone and you make them see themselves in a way that helps them appreciate their own beauty, that’s a very rewarding experience.”

“I love cutting hair. Every day presents a new opportunity and fresh canvas to work on,” says Amy. “It never gets boring.” At the age of 19 Amy was inspired to move to Los Angeles from the San Francisco Bay area after her employer, a seasoned owner of a hair salon, told her that if he had to do it all over again, he would have studied at Vidal Sassoon. With his encouragement Amy enrolled in the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Los Angeles in 2005 and apprenticed with them for a year following graduation. In January 2008, Amy joined the team at Chop Chop.

Inspired by vintage fashion, photography, and the pioneer of modernist hairstyling himself, Vidal Sassoon, Amy loves turning out classic looks that sport a modern edge. Amy believes the consultation is the cornerstone of creating a great cut. “I’m a great listener,” says Amy. “I take into account my clients lifestyle, comfort level, and aspirations before making any suggestions.” An advocate of staying true to your hair’s texture and limitations, as well as maintaining a realistic styling routine, Amy takes initiative to guide her clients to try flattering new styles they might not ordinarily consider.

“Your hair’s connected to the way you feel about yourself,” says Amy. “Nothing’s better than when my clients leave feeling happy and excited about the way they look.”

“I’m not into high maintenance hair or fads,” says Troy. “I’m into making a woman look beautiful.” Troy began his career at Vidal Sassoon in Beverly Hills in 1989. After working in Los Angeles for several years he began craving “a more creatively charged atmosphere.” He moved up to San Francisco where he joined the crew at Architects and Heroes, and first met Darin Birchler. The energy in the salon was charged with innovation and originality. “Everyone was pushing the boundaries,” says Troy. “Once you learn the rules you can break them.” After the salon was sold, he moved to Elevation Salon where he remained for the next four and half years.

When Troy returned to Los Angeles in 2003, he noticed the business had fallen under the influence of a celebrity obsessed culture. Though Troy had colored his fair share of glitterati including athletes, political figures and film stars he says, “I’m into the experience of connecting with the individual. That’s the wow factor for me.”

When Troy initially learned Darin had recreated the vibe from San Francisco in his new salon Chop Chop, there weren’t any available positions for him. Over the next three years, he freelanced and developed a loyal clientele until a space opened up at Chop Chop in March 2006.

Troy gleans inspiration from fashion, art, photography, sports, and nature. He believes in amplifying a person’s natural coloring to bring out their best attributes. He says, “Someone recently asked me, ‘What’s God’s greatest invention?’ I said, ‘Woman.’ It shouldn’t be a laborious process for a woman to do her hair every day. And if it is, then I’m not doing my job. It should be exciting.”