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SEARCHHats off to the 2026 SALON TODAY 200 honorees who make education a priority for employees at every level, including Eric Fisher Salon, which hosted Educator Oscar Bond for a cutting class in Wichita, Kansas.
Visiting Guest Artist Oscar Bond with a stylist at Eric Fisher Salon in Wichita, Kansas.
Eric Fisher Salon
The staff members from Urban Betty gather at their annual holiday party in Austin, Texas.
Urban Betty
For the most successful service providers, education is a career-long process. The strongest salons and spas develop education systems that enhance the skills and confidence of their newest team members while encouraging and supporting the seasoned staff to continually stretch creatively.
The team from Baddhare Salon in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Baddhare Salon
BADDHARE SALON
Myrtle Beach, SC
Abigail Brown & Rhysa Anderson
SQUARE FEET: 3500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Innersense, Kevin.Murphy
COLOR: Goldwell, Innersense, Original Mineral
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, Mya, Tippy, Vish, Green Circle
“In 2025, we elevated internal growth even further by launching a monthly leadership course for the management team. These sessions empower leaders to navigate challenges with empathy and curiosity, modeling the kind of leadership that uplifts and inspires the entire salon.”
The team from Cass and Company outside the salon in Avon, Indiana.
Cass and Company Salon.
CASS AND COMPANY SALON
Avon, IN
Angi Snodgrass
SQUARE FEET: 3500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 29
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kevn.Murphy, Amika, Aveda
COLOR: Alfaparf
SKINCARE: Image
TECH SUPPORT: Meevo, Emma
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“Each person learns differently, and our program adapts to those needs. We offer extra classes when someone feels uncertain about a particular service, emphasizing support over pressure. We never want to be a ‘drill sergeant’ salon; our goal is to guide with encouragement and understanding.”
An inside look at the elegant D'Amici Salon & Style in La Grange, Illinois.
D'Amici Salon & Style
D'AMICI SALON & STYLE
LaGrange, IL
Debbie Dubak/Dee Dodaro
SQUARE FEET: 2000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Redken, R+Co
COLOR: Redken, Moroccanoil
TECH SUPPORT: Meevo, Wix
ASSOCIATIONS: CC
“We’ve had a designated classroom in our salon for the past two years, and it’s been a huge part of our success. We use it for team classes, one-on-one training, and meetings. The flexibility allows us to meet our stylists exactly where they are, whether that’s hands-on technical work or small-group business coaching.”
DR. FLY SALON AND SPA
Joplin, MO
Robyn and Sara
SQUARE FEET: 3000, 1200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Redken
COLOR: Redken
SKINCARE: PCA
NAIL CARE: CND
TECH SUPPORT: Meevo, Mya, Vish
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
”Every stylist and service provider has a personal development plan that aligns with Summit benchmarks—service dollars, retail dollars, rebooking percentage, and request rate. Each team member meets with leadership monthly to review their KPIs and find the next area of growth.”
Eric Fisher works on the precision of a cut at Eric Fisher Salon in Wichita, Kansas.
Eric Fisher Salon
ERIC FISHER SALON
Wichita, KS
Eric Fisher and Mary Fisher
SQUARE FEET: 4000, 1500, 1500, 1500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 70
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $70
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Kevin.Murphy, Eleven Australia
COLOR: L’Oréal, Goldwell, Pulp Riot
SKINCARE: Skinceuticals, Image Skincare, Biojuve
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, PhorestTips, Paylocity, Survey Monkey
“One of our greatest benefits is the interaction with guest artists who are brought in to help train, inspire, and build passion in our team. They participate in our events and often lead our weekly classes. And each year, we fly in five to six of the nation’s top hairstylists for our annual Summit Hair Show.”
ESSENCE SALON
Cedar Rapids, IA
Kindsay Elgin
SQUARE FEET: 3000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 10
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Oribe, Kevin.Murphy, K18
COLOR: Kevin.Murphy
SKINCARE: AO Medical
TECH SUPPORT: Boulevard, Vish
ASSOCIATIONS: ICA
“Goal-setting is a major part of our education program, which helps stylists recognize what their own professional goals are and the education needed to achieve those goals. We set goals for one, three, and five years, both professionally and personally, allowing them to plan for the distant future and retirement.”
GREAT LENGTHS HAIR SALON
Memphis, TN
Carol Bakowicz
SQUARE FEET: 1400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $150
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Deva, Innersense, Phyto
COLOR: Goldwell, Sunlights Balayage, Ortega Balayage
TECH SUPPORT: Inspire, Vish
“We have been finding most of our newer stylists from places like suites or quick-styling salons. They come to us eager to learn and yearning to be confident and the best stylist they can be. We have been able to show them that a long-term stylist who sticks with us through our education program can make six figures a year. Education allows us to raise prices and charge the amount we do.”
Charles and Debra Penzone, owners of Penzone Salons+Spas in Columbus, Ohio.
Penzone Salons+Spas
PENZONE SALONS + SPAS
Columbus, OH
Debbie + Charles Penzone
SQUARE FEET: 13000, 12000, 9000, 3500, 1000, 1000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 410
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $67
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Davines, ColorWow, L'Anza
COLOR: Schwarzkopf, Davines, Evo
SKINCARE: Eminence, Jan Marini, Dr Dennis Gross
NAIL CARE: OPI, DND, Morgan Taylor, Gelish
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Textel
ASSOCIATIONS: ICA, ISBN, PBA
“We move into a topic in an engaging way, often with hands-on training by big industry experts. We add value by layering in photo opportunities to help the team build out their social media presence. Each training ends with some sort of conclusion—typically a ‘one word’ share out so we can gauge how the team felt about the opportunity. This format has allowed us to connect in a deeper way with our team—training that goes beyond just technical skills.”
The team from Razmataz Salon in Georgetown, Texas.
Razmataz Salon
RAZMATAZ SALON
Georgetown, TX
Rachel Stearns
SQUARE FEET: 2400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $88
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Moroccanoil
COLOR: Aveda, Moroccanoil
SKINCARE: Farmhouse Fresh, Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, Vish
“We have learned the importance of asking our team what they want to learn. Education is most impactful when it aligns with the individual's goals and passions. To achieve this, we use a voting system that allows stylists to share their interests and help decide which educational classes the salon will host next. Giving our stylists a voice in their professional development makes them feel heard and fosters a sense of ownership, and we continue to be rooted in creativity, empowerment, and lifelong learning.”
The team from Salon Council dress up for Halloween in Weston, Florida.
Salon Council
SALON COUNCIL
Weston, FL
Joel Wasserman and Allan Januras
SQUARE FEET: 1200, 1400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 24
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $80
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Redken, Pureology
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, Vish
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“Salon Council embraces the diversity of our South Florida community and recognizes that education is not one-size-fits-all. Many of our clients and some stylists speak a language other than English as their primary language. To address our diversity, we have been able to establish bilingual education with our partner brands, providing our team and clients with the maximum benefits from each education.
Chelle Neff, owner of Urban Betty in Austin, Texas.
Urban Betty
URBAN BETTY
Austin, TX
Chelle Neff
SQUARE FEET: 4000, 1500, 2800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 90
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $90
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Pureology, Redken
COLOR: Redken, Wella, Pulp Riot
SKINCARE: Sorella
TECH SUPPORT: Envision, Mya, Green Circle
“This year, we offered two complimentary high-value certifications for our stylists. One was a Hot Heads Extensions, two-day certification; the other was a two-day Mizani Aircut certification. This investment gave them the confidence and tools to take on new services, increase their average tickets, and deliver higher-quality results for guests.”
VAN MICHAEL SALON - SANDY SPRINGS
Sandy Springs, GA
Van Council
SQUARE FEET: 4700, 8638, 3578, 3000, 2592, 2364
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 340
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $110
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda, Redken
SKINCARE: Aveda, Ulraceuticals
TECH SUPPORT: Zenoti, Vish, Clicksend
ASSOCIATIONS: CC, ICA, ISBN, PBA, AmSpa
“To place an intern with their mentor, we must first have a general idea of their disposition, career goals, and reactions to stress. We’ve found that if we can select a perfect mentor, our graduation rate dramatically increases. Our full-time recruiter specializes in exactly that.”
It's that time of year again: SALON TODAY 200 Application Season! To celebrate our 30th anniversary we have a new best practice category--Talent Recruitment and Retention. Applications due October 31st!
The landmark, photo-based interior design competition has opened its application process. We'd love you to hit us with your best shots!
The landmark, photo-based interior design competition has opened its application process. We'd love you to hit us with your best shots!
At night, Dominic Michael Salon keeps the interior lights on, as the illuminated, eye-catching contemporary design serves as a billboard that consistently attracts new guests.
Built from the ground up, Mane 18’s design strikes a balance between an elevated experience for guests and the functionality and flow necessary for team members to perform at their best.
Andreas Hogue Salon’s recent renovation surprises visitors with the interior’s expansion of space, elevated retail area, and changing views of the restored Chicago prairie.
It's Day 10 of our SALON TODAY 200 reveals, and we've reached the end! Today, we toast the honorees in the second half of growth--the salons, spas, and barbershops that constantly strive to build stronger bottom lines, including Brandy Smith Stephens in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
On Day 9 of our 2026 SALON TODAY 200 reveals, a big 'Huzzah' to our first look at the salons, spas and barbershops that fueled their growth by mastering a number of best practices, including the fun team from Lavish Hair Lounge in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (P.S. The second half of Growth comes tomorrow.)
A big "Bravo!" to the salons and spas that develop strong cultures that fuel growth while retaining team members, such as Soleil Salon & Spa team in Windham, New Hampshire, who catch up reading last year's 200 issue.
We tip our hats to the salons and spas that genuinely connect with guests and strive to elevate their service, including Chenica Racine and Ricka O'Bannon, owners of C&R Beauty Bar in Louisville, Kentucky.
Today, we have two 2026 SALON TODAY 200 categories as we hail the salons that find creative ways to build client loyalty and the ones that constantly explore and embrace new technology to further their businesses, including the social-savvy team from Verde Salon Group in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
For today's SALON TODAY 200 announcements, we toast the honorees who prioritize the environment in their business decisions and those who take retail to the next level, including the excited team from Pure Salon Spa in Louisville, Kentucky.
Cheers to the SALON TODAY 200 honorees who give their time, talent and fundraising efforts to their communities, including Eli Mancha and the team from Bang! Salon, whose cut-a-thon has collected more than 1,200 coats that have been donated to Chicago's unhoused.
It's Day 1 of our 2026 SALON TODAY 200 announcements, and today, we raise our glasses for the honorees in the Business Builders category. These salons, including Elan Hair Studio in Spring Lake, New Jersey, took strategic risks that paid off in revenue-generating success.
It's time to celebrate the 2026 SALON TODAY 200 honorees who design rewarding career paths and seek out enriching benefits to keep their team members healthy, happy and growing, including the team from Pinup Studio in Raleigh, North Carolina, who always enjoy a good pajama party.
With a training salon, treatment rooms, education and collaboration spaces, a podcast studio and a yoga studio, BASE ONE is the foundation for the future growth of PENZONE Salons+Spas, as well as the company's gift to their community and the industry. Peruse the image gallery or take the personalized video tour led by Debra Penzone to see this exceptional space.
As our judges read those last essays and create their list of honorees in each category, we're planning to start announce the 2026 SALON TODAY 200 starting February 25.
