Studio Raw Elite

To round out Pride Month, we want to spotlight another LGBTQIA+-owned business in the Burgh, Studio Raw Elite. If you’ve never heard of this hair salon, get ready to fall in love. Between the gorgeous coloring and styling their staff does to the many causes, owner Dan Burda supports, Studio Raw is the full package.

Located on Babcock Blvd. in Ross Township, Studio Raw offers coloring, cuts (men, women, children), extensions (tape in and hand-tied weft), perms, keratin treatments, and bridal styling. Eighteen stations are placed throughout their open-concept space. A lounge area, outdoor seating, bar seating, and a complimentary cafe are also a part of Studio Raw’s salon. The cafe features Keurig cups, freshly baked items, spirits, soda, and more. This is the perfect way to kick off your hair appointment, no doubt!

Be sure to book my phone ahead of time because they are quite popular, open Tuesday-Saturday. Not sure which stylist to book with? Take a look at Studio Raw’s website and head to the “Our Staff” tab to read a short bio on each stylist and find links to see some of their work! These bios are the perfect place to find out what types of looks and colors the stylist loves to work with. It’s a great way to find the perfect fit for you.

The owner Dan is not only a great hairstylist and business owner but also an advocate for some incredible causes. If you’re familiar with Studio Raw or even Babcock Blvd., you may have seen the infamous sandwich board sign that sits outside of the studio. This board has displayed messages advocating and raising awareness for Pride Month, organ donation, COVID, and more!

Some of these messages in the past have alerted locals about the need to register as an organ donor with 7,000 Pennsylvanians needing an organ transplant and about waiting list candidates in need of a potential living donor. You will also find some fun messages on the board wishing everyone happy holidays, welcoming new staff, and even some motivational and silly sayings to brighten your day!

Follow Studio Raw Elite on Facebook for some of Dan’s incredible live videos that support amazing causes and other local businesses. Speaking of these live videos, he has posted several leading up to the event Studio Raw held for Pride Month.

This past Sunday they put on Raw Pride, where all funds benefited PERSAD and the Central Outreach Center. Both of those organizations are leaders in helping members of the LGBTQIA+ communities, what an amazing way to support! This event was $40 and included 2 cocktails, access to “Alice & Willie Wonka’s Wonderland” with all sorts of sweet treats, and entertainment during the event.

Entertainment included singers, dancers, drag performers, and a TWINKIE EATING CONTEST! For extra purchase, they had food trucks, a rainbow braid bar, a dunk tank, a glitter dance floor, and more running during the event. One of the most special parts of this event was that all attendees were given a rainbow-colored brick to write a message on that was then used to construct a 10 ft. tall piece of art at Studio Raw titled, “The Pillar of Community Inclusion.”

Over the years, raising awareness and funds for all of these causes has truly made an impact with Studio Raw raising over $250,000 for different diseases, disorders, etc. They have also collected blankets, toys, food, the list goes on.

The owner, Dan is truly an incredible person who loves to serve others in any way that he can. He claims his tag line for the past ten years has been “Make it a Better World,” and he has done just that. If you’re looking for more information on some of the causes close to him and local Pittsburghers he is helping have their stories heard, head to www.mystudioraw.com. 

After seeing the beautiful work they do on hair and the incredible way Dan Burda and Studio Raw Elite give back to the community day after day, it’s a no-brainer to check out this LGBTQIA+-owned business. If you have your heart set on your current stylist, that doesn’t mean you can’t still support the truly amazing work Studio Raw is doing to spread the word about important topics and uplift those around them! Dan’s Facebook live videos will be sure to put a smile on your face and educate you each time you watch a new one.

Follow along with their journey on Instagram and Facebook. Happy PRIDE Month!

This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.