The Olive Tiger Is Part Cocktail Bar, Part Hair Salon

When the Olive Tiger opened at 1701 Platte Street in March, it brought something new to the neighborhood. The concept combines a full-service salon and barbershop with a luxurious cocktail and coffee bar.

The name was inspired by owner Amanda Lawlor’s two daughters. “Stevie, my oldest daughter, has social anxiety. One day, she came up with the idea that whenever she gets nervous, she would become a brave and strong tiger. And Olive is my youngest, who I was pregnant with when I conceptualized the space. One day I woke up and it came to me — the Olive Tiger. It was perfect.”

Lawlor has worked as a hairstylist for twenty years and "always wanted to own my own salon," she says. "My ex-husband was an incredible bartender, and I had a vision of combining our two luxury worlds into this cozy and stylish space."

The idea began to take shape in 2020 during a challenging pregnancy and in the midst of the pandemic. "I was on bed rest, but it gave me time to sit and make my business happen," Lawlor recalls. She meticulously crafted a business plan and sold her house to fund the dream, with additional support from her mother.

“Unfortunately, my marriage didn’t work out, but I was determined to make this space work. I’m happy to say that the business has been doing great since we opened. We’re very fortunate to always have customers, either in the sense of someone getting their hair done or at the bar. Both sides really support each other," she notes.

On the salon side, customers will find a full range of services, excluding any that are known to cause cancer like keratin treatments and relaxers. It uses vegan, cruelty-free, biodegradable products from brands like R+Co, ensuring a safe environment for everyone.

The bar side is helmed by bar lead Tiffany Hernandez, who is originally from California and was drawn to the Mile High City for the opportunity to work for a Latina- and woman-owned business. She brings a wealth of expertise from the hospitality industry, with an impressive bartending career that spans over a decade.
"Back home in L.A., I helped my family open a craft beer and indoor golf bar. I taught them the ins and outs of the industry, designed the menu and built brand relationships, but there was only so much I could do with beer. I decided to move to New York, and worked there for five years at some of the world’s best bars and restaurants, like Employees Only and Cosme.”

Lawlor and Hernandez, both first-generation Mexican-Americans, found common ground in their desire to create an environment that celebrates their heritage while fostering community.

"We’re creating conscious, seasonal cocktails and are hyper-aware of the ingredients we use. For those that want to partake while getting their hair done, we have agave and low-ABV cocktails so customers will be able to sip throughout a three- or four-hour service without getting too tipsy,” Hernandez explains.

The cocktail menu features Mexican-owned, additive-free wines, tequilas and agaves by brands like LALO and Don Julio, and ingredients like syrups and juices are made from scratch. The non-alcoholic program also has nods to Mexican culture, with housemade horchata and seasonal aguas frescas. There are vegan pastries sourced from local operators like the Cake Bar, Denver Macaron and Kind Confections as well.
“We have something for everyone here. I wanted to create a place where anyone could come in and feel safe. For those that don’t drink alcohol, we have a full range of coffee drinks and non-alcoholic beverages, and 80 to 90 percent of our cocktails can be made non-alcoholic," Lawlor shares. “I also wanted to convey inclusivity in the design of the space, making it comfortable, warm and inviting," with chic decor, mid-century modern furniture and elegant earth tones.

“We want to build relationships — that’s the name of the game. Stylists build relationships with clients in their chair, and we’re doing the same at the bar,” shares Hernandez.

It was also important for Lawlor to create an equitable space for her stylists. “The stereotypical commission salon is a get-rich-quick scheme for the salon owner. We’re a booth-rent salon, so if our stylists make more money and become more successful, the amount they pay me to rent the chair stays the same. It gives them unlimited opportunity to grow their career and their income," she explains.

The Olive Tiger plans to host educational programming, women support groups, food pop-ups with local vendors like Oyster Bae, and events like monthly drag shows on the first Sunday of each month.

Ultimately, it’s about creating a sense of community. "I love Platte Street — it’s the best. I grew up going to Paris on the Platte and have always loved this part of town. Since opening, every person and business owner I've met here has been incredibly supportive,” Lawlor concludes.

The Olive Tiger is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and offers happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, follow it @theolivetiger on Instagram.