The Red and Black

Issue date: 1/8/09 Section: Variety

Media Credit: COURTNEY SMITH Bianca Bidiuc, a sophomore international affairs major, has her hair dried by Brian Haag, a stylist at Republic Salon. Republic Salon claims the best atmosphere in Athens. Lyric, owner of the salon, pushes the importance of customer service. [Click to enlarge]

Athens has almost as many hair salons as bars. And though a poorly mixed mojito can ruin a night, a bad haircut can ruin three months. Here, we take a look at the different hair salons in downtown Athens:



Aesthetics

If you've ever walked into a salon and found its lack of aesthetic appeal personally insulting, you're not alone. The appearance and atmosphere of a salon are just as important as the hair cut received there. If the space is undecorated and unkempt, how can you be sure the stylists are well-trained and the tools they use are clean? The aesthetic of a hair salon is the physical manifestation of how organized and professional it really is.

From the lobby, bob Salon looks dazzling. The building's interior has been beautifully restored and expertly decorated. The actual salon, however, is a different story. The atmosphere is loud, raucous and disorganized. Stylists' work areas are congested, and it's difficult to keep from bumping elbows with the customer in the next chair.

Rage Hair Studio, on the other hand, has a spacious, tastefully designed loft with a great view of the heart of downtown. The Rocket Salon space is quaint and comfortable with a funky, contemporary vibe. Emporium Hair & Color Salon is clean, simple and pleasantly unembellished.

Lock Nest is, as owner Jackie Unruh described, "not intimidating." The studio displays a folksy barber shop look.

Republic Salon, however, claims the best atmosphere in town. The loft salon is spacious and spotless with a fashionable, minimalist interior design scheme. Clients know their hair is in good hands before they sit down in the styling chair.



Customer Service

Even if some salons don't boast the most uptown designs, many make up for that fact through excellent customer service. Lyric, the owner and manager of Republic Salon, believes her experience owning three salons has taught her the ins and outs of customer service, enabling her to ensure that every person who walks into her salon feels important and valued.

"We want the client to know that we appreciate them and make sure they're getting value for the money they're spending," she said. "I think our industry forgets about that. I hear stories about [stylists] not showing up for their clients, or not listening, and I think we all have those horror stories, and we try to keep those in mind."

Not surprisingly, bob Salon, which Lyric said she partly owns as a silent partner, also holds customer service to be a priority.

"I think what makes us different from all the other hair salons in Athens is that we really care about our clients' experience," said Amber Townsend, bob Salon's manager. "From when you call to when you come in to when you leave, we do everything we can to make sure you have the best experience possible."

Townsend said creating the "best experience possible" includes ensuring that customers are paired with the stylist that is most skilled at providing the type of cut or look they want and making sure that, if someone must wait for their appointment, they are comfortable and offered drinks or magazines.

Emporium Salon not only pairs clients with stylists that will provide the best cuts, but will also call other salons if a person is a walk-in and all of the stylists are busy with other clients.

"I will just tell them that 'We cant take anybody today, but let me call Republic or Lock Nest and see if I can make you an appointment and you can go straight there,'" said Craig Jones, Emporium's assistant manager. "Most salons would never do something like that for their clients."

Jones said he will also make appointments for people to get their nails done or any other beauty service the salon does not offer, so when customers are finished having their hair cut, they will be able to go straight to their other appointments. He said he believes it's this "little bit extra" of customer service that makes the salon so enjoyable for its clients.

But not all downtown salons believe such precise attentiveness is the key to providing customers with a good experience. Rocket Salon workers said they believe customers enjoy a relaxed environment and stylists that are easy-going and personable.

"I think our laid back atmosphere is something people really appreciate," said Michelle Laaird, a stylist at Rocket Salon. "We do excellent work but you just don't get the attitude that you might have somewhere that's a little fancier."



Education

Still, no amount of free soda or nail appointments can make up for a stylist who is out of date or is unable to create the type of style or color a customer wants. It is impossible to achieve a high level of customer service without stylists who are educated and trained to not only create the latest styles but also know how to avoid damaging or ruining hair in the process.

"Unfortunately, regular cosmetology school will teach you just enough to make you dangerous,"Lyric said. "That is why we offer a lot of incentives to pursue education. For example one of my stylists will be gone for five months doing training with Vidal Sassoon in London, and we also do in-house education every Thursday morning in a two-hour class with models."

Emporium also promotes training through post-graduate classes with the Aveda Institute and in-house training that teaches stylists how to use new products or equipment.

It appears Rage Hair Studio has the most diverse stylist training because they do not rely on one school or brand to provide all of their training, according to the company's Web site. The stylists regularly attend the Bumble and Bumble Academy in New York, the Toni & Guy Academy in Texas and the L'Oreal Professional Color Academy.



Extra Services

A great hair studio doesn't just give a jam-up cut and send clients on their merry ways - it happily offers every product and service they need to feel beautiful every day. Versatility is an important part of what maintains the love connection between a client and his or her hair salon.

Not only does bob Salon offer in-house makeup services, they also provide on-location makeup applications for brides and all of their attendants. Beauty-seekers can get an eyebrow tint at Rage Hair Studio, not to mention a variety of

therapeutic Bumble and Bumble hair treatments. If plans include a visit to Republic, the salon offers clients the option of scheduling appointments online. There's a lot of buzz about environmental awareness these days, too, and Emporium appeals to customers looking to go green by exclusively using organic, environmentally friendly Aveda products.



Price

Though money may be no object for some, many University students need to check their bank accounts before going under the scissors. Haircuts can be quite costly, so naturally, price should be heavily considered. It's important to remember that prices depend on hair length, product used to achieve the desired effect and the individual stylist - typically, the more experienced the stylist, the higher his or her prices.

If the budget's a bit tight, Lock Nest has the best prices: women's' cuts start at $30, and men's start at $20. For those looking to cruise the middle of the road, most salons, like Emporium, Rocket Salon and Rage, charge between $40 and $50 per lady's cut. Republic and bob are the priciest and can cost over $60.

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