When it comes to a client building a long-term relationship with a salon, the level of service a guest receives can be more important than the precision of the haircut of the quality of the color. Customer service impacts the client's overall experience, and the salons and spas who deliver it during each and every visit boost their overall sales along with their client retention figures. Find out who made this year's Salon Today 200 list in Customer Service.
The open concept reception table at Lavish in Webster, TX.
5 min to read
When it comes to a client building a long-term relationship with a salon, the level of service a guest receives can be more important than the precision of the hair cut or the quality of the color. Customer service impacts the client’s overall experience, and the salons who deliver it during each and every visit boost their overall sales along with their client retention figures.
360 THE COLOUR BAR SALON El Paso, TX 360hair.com Eduardo Anderson SQUARE FEET: 1,800 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 10 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Bumble and Bumble, Kerastase COLOR: Aveda, Schwarzkopf Professional, Kerastase TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce ASSOCIATION: PBA “When a guest checks out, a 360 Specialist gives them a referral card that allows the guests to refer friends and family. When a referral comes in they will receive $20 towards their first experience. The guest then receives a voucher for $30 in service or retail.”
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BELLA STYLE SALON Slidell, LA mybellastyle.com Jennifer Bellau Baudier SQUARE FEET: 900 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 7 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Unite COLOR: Aveda NAIL CARE: SpaRitual TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce ASSOCIATION: PBA “After all services are complete, our clients’ carbon footprint will be erased; we recycle all possible materials used during their visit. We ship it all, even their hair, to the company Green Circle Salon.”
BROWN & DELINE Ann Arbor, MI brownanddeline.com Cathy Issel SQUARE FEET: 3,800 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 50 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Moroccanoil, Wella, TIGI COLOR: Wella, Redken, TIGI SKIN CARE: Glymed, Sothys NAIL CARE: CND, OPI, Footlogix TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Constant Contact, Word Press ASSOCIATION: PBA “Our salon team members practice a 10/4 culture. If they are 10 feet from a client, they make eye contact and smile, and if they are within 4 feet, they smile and say, ‘Hello.’”
D’AMETRIS AVEDA Arvada, CO dametris.biz Dennis and Ame Metcalfe SQUARE FEET: 1,200 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $44 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda COLOR: Aveda TECH SUPPORT: Leprechaun, Demandforce, Main Street Hub ASSOCIATION: ABCH “We believe that excellent customer service is building a relationship, creating a bond and nurturing that bond. These moments are perhaps every bit as important as the technical skills set.”
ERIC FISHER SALON Wichita, KS ericfishersalon.com Eric and Mary Fisher SQUARE FEET: 4,000; 1,500; 1,500 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 95 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aquage, Kerastase COLOR: Goldwell, L’Oreal Professionnel, Kerastase SKIN CARE: Image Skincare, Skinceuticals TECH SUPPORT: STX, Survey Monkey ASSOCIATION: PBA “Team members receive Eric’s Enlightened Hospitality training to learn how to add value to a service, what to do if a mistake is made, the key to authenticity and how to manage the experience for each guest. Our hospitality trainers also provide customer-service training for other businesses.”
LAVISH SALON Webster, TX getlavish.com Kristi Brehm SQUARE FEET: 3,900 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 32 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $63 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda COLOR: Aveda COLOR: Aveda SKIN CARE: Aveda TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce ASSOCIATION: PBA “We redesigned the traditional front desk and created an open-concept table which allows our guests to stand on either side, allowing them to see their ticket or appointment right from our computer screen. It also encourages our guest service team to flow through the reception area, meeting guests at the door and walking them through the salon.”
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PHIA CONCEPTS Columbus, OH phiaconcepts.com Elizabeth and Mike Bella SQUARE FEET: 1,300; 1,400 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 41 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $47 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Intelligent Nutrients, AG COLOR: Aveda, AG SKIN CARE: Aveda, Intelligent Nutrients TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Revlocal “We took a huge leap of faith and opened a salon with the needs of the gluten-sensitive guest in mind. While the salon is available to everyone, it was created to serve those guests who react poorly to gluten in the products at our flagship salon. It is one of the reasons this location has a five-star average on Yelp!”
PROGRESSIONS SALON SPA STORE Rockville, MD progressions.com Cynthia Feldman SQUARE FEET: 9,000 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 56 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $85 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Oribe, Kerastase, Bumble and Bumble COLOR: Goldwell, Redken, Bumble and Bumble SKIN CARE: Eminence, Alchimie Forever, HydraFacial MD NAIL CARE: Morgan Taylor, Smith & Cult, Gelish TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, SnapSnip ASSOCIATIONS: ISPA, NCA, PBA “We focus on making clients feel special and it all starts in the most unglamorous of places: parking. We offer free parking and always offer to pick clients up at the metro stop.”
TEDDIE KOSSOF SALON SPA Northfield, IL teddiekossof.com Alan Kossof SQUARE FEET: 17,000 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 90 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Goldwell, Moroccanoil, Rene Furterer COLOR: Goldwell, Wella SKIN CARE: Clarins, Avene NAIL CARE: OPI, Essie TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Birdeye, Main Street Hub ASSOCIATIONS: CC, PBA “Our email campaign allows us to be proactive in managing criticism. Clients can share feedback directly with us, instead of on a third-party review site. This helps us protect our brand’s online reputation and gives us the opportunity to handle criticism internally.”
VANITY SALON Houston, TX vanity-salon.com Glennis, Fiona and Rory Tolunay SQUARE FEET: 3,200 TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 29 AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $76 BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda COLOR: Aveda SKIN CARE: Aveda NAIL CARE: OPI TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce ASSOCIATION: PBA “We address guests using luxury language. For example, instead of ‘How can I help you?’ our guest-services team is trained to ask, ‘How can I assist you?’ Instead of ‘Just one second,’ they respond ‘Just one moment.”
Additional Honorees Avenue Hair Design, Venice, FL Bella Lago Salon & Spa, Mooresville, NC Bii Hair Salon, West Dundee, IL Blo, Raleigh, NC BRIX The Salon, Auburn, CA Centre Salon & Spa, Lone Tree, CO The Changing Room, Aventura, FL CoCo Cheveux Salon, South Portland, ME Glow, Braintree, MA Gordon Salon Highland Park, IL The Hair Company, Leonardtown, MD Headlines The Washington Park Salon, Denver CO Ihloff Salon and Day Spa, Tulsa, OK Impressions, Mequon, WI Joli Salon and Spa, Lexington, KY Josephine’s Day Spa & Salon, Inc. Houston, TX Maggie The Salon, Pembroke Pines, FL Mane Attraction salon, Phoenix, AZ Nuovo Salon Group, Sarasota, FL Nurtur the Salon, Columbus, OH Paul Kenneth Salon & Spa, Woburn, MA Pin-Up curls, Fort Wayne, IN Pure Salon Sap, Louisville, KY RedBloom Salon, Calgary, Alberta Salon 6, Indianapolis, IN Salon Allure, Huntsville, AL Samuel Cole Salon, Raleigh, NC Salon Estique, Columbus, OH Sky Salon, Strongsville, OH Voga Salon, Overland Park, KS Von Anthony Salon, Frisco, TX D’Ametris Aveda, Arvada, CO
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!
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.
Hats 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.
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.