Where Art Met Precision — Oren’s Hair Sculpting in Granger
National Champions, Chicago 1977. Both Tony and Oren are among the winners.
Oren’s of Granger: Masters of the Sculpted Cut
Born in 1931 in Woodland, Utah, Oren Simmons built one of the state’s most respected hairstyling legacies—Oren’s of Granger. His first salon opened at 3545 Market Street, in the heart of the growing Granger community. As his clientele and reputation expanded, Oren later moved to a larger, modern salon at 2989 West 3500 South, where his artistry and training philosophy reached new heights.
Oren called his approach “hair sculpting”—a technique that blended art and geometry, precision and creativity. More than just a barber, he was an educator and mentor, serving as secretary of the Utah State Barbers Guild while his friend and colleague Clarence Erstamer acted as vice president. As a regional director and demonstrator for Roffler Industries, Oren trained barbers and stylists throughout Utah, Idaho, and Montana, teaching advanced methods of cutting, color, and design. His salon team trained weekly in these techniques, making Oren’s of Granger one of the most progressive and well-educated shops in the state.
Oren’s son, Tony Simmons, shared his father’s vision. A graduate of Granger High School and the Academy of Barber Sciences, Tony served as president of the local Barber Union, working beside his father at Oren’s. He began his career in March 1975 as an apprentice with Roffler of Utah, Inc., and within months was winning awards across the West.
Tony quickly became a national name in competitive hairstyling:
His first contest, sponsored by Roffler of Utah, earned him Second Place.
At the 1976 Colorado State Competition, he took First in Fashion Cut, Second in Men’s Open, and Second in Open Feminine Cut, all awarded on his 20th birthday, June 21, 1976.
In July, he competed in the Four Corners Open, placing First in Fashion Cut and Third in Men’s Open.
That fall, Tony became the first Utahn ever to place at the National Hair Styling Championships, winning Third Place in Men’s Freestyle in Chicago.
In October 1976, Roffler Industries of Pittsburgh sent him to Edmonton, Canada, where he won the Gold Medal in Men’s Freestyle at the Canadian Hairdressers Association Convention—again, a Utah first.
His success continued through the late 1970s, highlighted by his 1979 victory at the Roffler International Spectacular in Orlando, Florida, where he earned the title “International Fashion Champion” and a $5,000 prize for his “Flawless Style”—a competition remembered locally as “The $5,000 Haircut.”
At Oren’s of Granger, father and son worked side by side, blending competition artistry with neighborhood service. Every stylist was Roffler-trained and encouraged to grow through continuing education. Their clients came not only for a haircut, but for the assurance of quality, technique, and genuine care.
Oren believed that “education through training is the key to success.” His salon embodied that philosophy until his passing in 2006, and Tony’s untimely death in 1990. Together, they left a lasting mark on Utah’s beauty industry, remembered for their precision, professionalism, and passion for the art of hair sculpting.
Tony Simmons
Oren Simmons