Sustaining steady growth year after year requires that a salon’s leadership master a number of best management practices. From recruiting the best talent to match your salon or spa culture to consistently delivering superb services and products with exemplary customer service to every guest, every visit. For SALON TODAY 200 applicants in this category, it’s a numbers game—who among them achieved the highest percentage of growth in gross sales between 2012 and 2013. This year, our Growth honorees grew at rates of 9 percent and higher, with an average growth rate of 22.76 percent. Here, are the first 50 honorees in the growth category for 2015.

(Check out the honorees from Growth, Part Two!)

360 THE COLOUR BAR SALON
El Paso, TX
360hair.com
Eddie Anderson
’12: $415,000
’13: $487,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 1,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 10
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Bumble and bumble
COLOR: Schwarzkopf, Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Spa Biz, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We have been the exclusive salon for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week El Paso since 2010. Being the team lead at this high-volume event develops each of our team members, not only in their craft but as industry leaders.”

ACAPELLO SALONS INC.
Scarborough, ME
acapellosalons.com
June Juliano
’12: $2,135,000
’13: $2,465,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 1,500 (2 locations), 1,900, 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 45
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda, Matrix
TECH SUPPORT: Mikal, Demandforce, Stylenet
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Training the management and support teams to understand the systems used by our revenue generators has an impact on growth and success. They are the conductors of the orchestra, and can make or break the show.”

ALEXANDER’S HAIR + SKIN
Los Angeles, CA
alexandersforhair.com
Jeanne Phares
’12: $402,000
’13: $493,000
INCREASE: 23%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Eufora, Hero
COLOR: Kemon, Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: STX
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, ESON
“We believe in educating both new and returning guests on product. When guests get a professional recommendation from their stylists, and take that product home, their action says they value you and trust you.”

ANIMARE SALON AND SPA
Hampton, VA
animaresalonspa.com
F. Lindsay and Gretchen Arndt
’12: $640,000
’13: $797,000
INCREASE: 25%
SQUARE FEET: 1,800, 2,500  
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 48
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Spa Biz, Demandforce, Constant Contact
“One of our favorite promotions last year was ‘Ladies Night Out, Fashion Block Party,’ where we teamed up with our shopping center and offered free chair massages, makeup touchups and Chakra sensory journeys during a block party that included wine, vendors and a DJ.”     

ARTBEAT SALON
Berkeley, CA
artbeatsalon.com
Charlene and Christian Stratton
’12: $1,160,000
’13: $1,310,000
INCREASE: 13%
SQUARE FEET: 2,800  
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: STX
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA
“This year we implemented 90-day reviews to establish and track employee goals—both personal and professional. This fosters growth and success for team members and keeps our employee retention up, because they know they have a future in our company.”

AS YOU LIKE IT SALON, AVEDA
Bonita Springs, FL
asyoulikeitsalonaveda.com
Corinne Kleinberger
’12: $269,000
’13: $322,000
INCREASE: 20%
SQUARE FEET: 1,000     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 4
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $58
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Constant Contact   
“We recently updated our long-time referral program, allowing the referring guest to be able to use their $20 gift as a credit toward either service or retail. This small change generated new excitement with long-time clients, as well as with newer clients.”

AURA SALON
Jacksonville, FL
myaurasalon.com
Chad Pereira and Edward Pereira
’12: $1,164,000
’13: $1,298,000
INCREASE: 12%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500  
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $41
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We were not utilizing the capacity of our styling chairs to their full potential—each chair offered 60 potential hours per week, but we were only using 40. We went on a recruiting binge, and in the course of six months hired three experienced stylists and two graduating students. This filled in an extra 200 hours and brought in roughly 90 new clients.”

AVANTGARDE SALON INC.
Destin, FL
avantgardeaveda.com
Joseph Rogers
’12: $2,295,000
’13: $2,578,000
INCREASE: 12%
SQUARE FEET: 1,000, 4,300    
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 42
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $39
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBiz, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATION: Beauty Industry Council
“We shifted our spa concept and started hiring dual-licensed spa providers, while cross-training our current team so they can perform multiple services. This boosted our spa staff’s productivity, and we’ve seen jumps of up to 11 percent in service growth for individual providers.”

AVENUE HAIR DESIGN
Venice, FL
avenuehairdesign.net
Patricia Paull
’12: $291,000
’13: $435,000
INCREASE: 50%
SQUARE FEET: 2,100
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 9
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $41
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Pureology, Paul Mitchell, DevaCurl
COLOR: Paul Mitchell
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Loyal Blocks
ASSOCIATION: NCA
“Most real estate agents reward clients with a gift at the time of home purchase. I networked with local businesses to gather gift certificate donations and made gift baskets that I gave to local agents. The agent gains a gift to present, and we get the chance to capture the business of our community’s newest members.”

BELLA BETHESDA SALON
Bethesda, MD
bellabethesda.com
Stacy Dabney Ramirez and Lindsey Dabney Cabrera
’12: $2,368,000
’13: $2,664,000
INCREASE: 13%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $67
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Pureology, Phyto, Redken
COLOR: Redken  
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Constant Contact
“We held a two-day, in-salon training course called ‘Step Up! Fast Track to Wealth,’ focused solely on finances. It challenged our stylists to look at their income next to their expenses and debt, and gave them a planner to set them up for financial success.”

BELLA BRONZE STUDIOS
Akron, OH
bellabronzestudios.com
Joseph Arrowood and Rachael Indermuhle
’12: $407,000
’13: $502,000
INCREASE: 23%
SQUARE FEET: 3,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 17
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $38
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Envision, Groupon
“We are vigilant with customer service and steadily work on consistency. We provide significant education to our staff to help increase average ticket sales and our supplemental referral program ensures we can keep new clients coming in.”

BELLA CAPELLI SANCTUARIO
Westlake, OH
bellacapelli.com
Sandy Borrelli and Serina Peck
’12: $2,223,000
’13: $2,604,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 4,900  
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 46
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $54
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBiz, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA
“Our management team is very aware that an empty spot on the book is lost revenue. They continually up-sell unscheduled time to build the books and reach the daily goals we set.”

BII HAIR SALON
West Dundee, IL
biihairsalon.com
James Gartner and Adam Swanlund
’12: $178,000
’13: $330,000
INCREASE: 85%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $48
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Surface, Pravana, FHI Heat
COLOR: Pravana
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBooker   
ASSOCIATIONS: CC, PBA
“A week after a guest’s first appointment, the guest services manager calls to see how the guest is enjoying the result. Positive feedback is shared with the team to support moral, and if there is dissatisfaction, a re-do appointment is scheduled.”

THE BLACK CAT SALON + SPA
Kailua, HI
theblackcatsalon.com
Katy Gassaway and Jentry Petzold
’12: $934,000
’13: $1,171,000
INCREASE: 25%
SQUARE FEET: 2,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 36
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Uppercut Deluxe
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, DemandForce  
“We recently started posting photos of our work on our Facebook page and our Instagram feed, and we created a Pinterest portfolio. We’ve had a surprising number of new guests come with photos from our social media pages asking for that same look.”

BOB STEELE SALON
Marietta, GA
bobsteele.com and theverge.com
Amanda Hair
’12: $5,062,000
’13: $5,643,000
INCREASE: 12%
SQUARE FEET: 1,500, 3,200 (2 locations), 5,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 120
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $54
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Pureology, Kerastase, Moroccanoil
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATION: 2 to 10
“After managing the salon as executive director, I bought in as a founder in 2004 as Bob Steele decided his exit strategy.  Since then, we’ve expanded from a single location to four locations with a total of 14,000 square feet and 84 chairs, and we’re projected to do more than $6 million in revenue this year.”

BOHEME SALON + SPA
Redding, CA
bohemesalon.com
Aly Evirs
’12: $597,000
’13: $844,000
INCREASE: 41%
SQUARE FEET: 1,700     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Keratin Complex, Original Sprout
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce, SpaBoom, Spafinder
“As the economy has gained strength in our area, we’ve seen an explosion of new salons. While staying on the cutting edge of fashion and beauty is important, consistently offering high-quality services, at a fair price, with excellent customer service is undeniably the key to our sustainable growth.”

BRIO SALON AND SPA
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
briosalon.ca
Heather Tytula, Wayne Tytula and April Takahashi
’12: $814,000
’13: $950,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 3,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $52
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce
“Each stylist has an iPad at their station which has a custom-built guest consultation form for the stylists to use as well as a Look Book. Current trends, as well as stylist choices and celebrity looks, are shown to clients during their consultation.” 

CARUH SALON SPA
Seattle, WA
caruh.com
Cyndi DeSoto
’12: $1,603,000
’13: $1,872,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 32
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Salonbiz, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We streamline our benchmarks to three things that have the most impact on sales. We call them P.A.R. (Pre-book, Additional services, Retail) and they are tracked on each guest traveler and posted daily as part of our closing procedure.”

CELEBRITY SPA & SALON
College Station, TX
celebrityspa.net
Laura Atkinson Wagner, Leah Lucas and Cindy Atkinson
’12: $1,164,000
’13: $1,383,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 4,200  
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 38
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology, Brazilian Blowout
COLOR: Redken  
TECH SUPPORT: Envision, Demandforce  
“Today’s consumers expect more than what they ask for—they want to know what other options are available. When they book an appointment, they are always offered an upgraded service or an additional service.”     

CENTRE SALON & SPA, TIFFANY PLAZA
Denver, CO
centresalon.com
James F. Pacifico
’12: $937,000
’13: $1,046,000
INCREASE: 12%
SQUARE FEET: 2,100     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 18
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $32
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Salon/SpaBiz, Demandforce
“The most impactful idea we implemented last year was focusing on our culture and working to strengthen our team environment. We made a shift with management, changing thinking and acting as ‘managers’ to ‘leaders,’ and we strive to foster teamwork.”    

CLOUD 9 SPA ~ HAIR DESIGN
Noblesville, IN
cloud9spaindy.com
Maria Rigakos and Irene Young
’12: $642,000
’13: $744,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 3,200  
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 15
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Moroccanoil, Aveda, It’s a 10
COLOR: Schwarzkopf  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBooker, Facebook, Demandforce
ASSOCIATION: PBA  
“We have hosted many fund-raisers in the salon after hours. Guests pay a cover charge for the mini-services and 100 percent of that donation goes to the specific charity hosting the event. This community presence has been crucial in our way to re-pay the gracious neighborhood where we work and live.”

COCO CHEVEUX
South Portland, ME
cococheveux.com
Tiffany Conway
’12: $999,000
’13: $1,112,000
INCREASE: 11%
SQUARE FEET: 4,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 26
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Goldwell, KMS California, MorroccanOil
COLOR: Goldwell  
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBooker, Mail Chimp
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, PBA   
“We ensure consistency by implementing systems for everything from greeting the client to the perfect consultation. Every team member is well trained in each system, so not only are appointments consistent for clients from visit to visit, but our team maintains consistency from stylist to stylist.”

COPPERFALLS SPA AND SALON
Castle Rock, CO
copperfalls.com
Stefanie Palko
’12: $1,586,000
’13: $1,796,000
INCREASE: 13%
SQUARE FEET: 5,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 38
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBiz, Demandforce   
“To compete with membership chains, we implemented our own spa membership program. When clients make a year-long commitment, they receive 15% savings, two buddy passes that introduce services to new guests, and 10% off retail. We’ve experienced an increase in guest spending, pre-booking and retention.”

CORTELLO SALON
Jacksonville Beach, FL
cortellosalon.com
Ryan Fitzgerald and Courtney Costello
’12: $2,299,000
’13: $3,141,000
INCREASE: 37%
SQUARE FEET: 3,900     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 39
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $47
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Oribe, Shu Uemura
COLOR: Goldwell  
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce  
“Our online reputation has become our largest referral channel for new clients. We have more than 600 five-star reviews in Google, and that generates 250 or more new clients each month.”

CUTTING LOOSE SALON
University Park, FL
cuttingloose.net
Coral Pleas
’12: $1,870,000
’13: $2,459,000
INCREASE: 32%
SQUARE FEET: 5,200, 2,600, 1,500   
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 56
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Paul Mitchell, Bumble and Bumble, Oribe
COLOR: Paul Mitchell, Pravana
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, PBA   
“To ensure new hires are a great fit, we have an extensive application process, including a written application, a phone interview, an interview with a managing partner, a ‘play-date’ to shadow a team member for a day, and a final interview with the owner.”

D’AMETRI’S AVEDA SALON
Olde Town Arvada, CO
dametrissalon.biz
Dennis and Ame Metcalfe
’12: $628,000
’13: $706,000
INCREASE: 12%
SQUARE FEET: 1,400     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $41
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Leprechaun, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATION: ABCHC
“To boost current guests’ sales per visit, each service provider uses our daily tracking system, which provides awareness of where their potential service dollars are each day. Through an all-encompassing consultation, we take into account a guest’s personal attributes, lifestyle and challenges, we present service and retail solutions.”

ECCO SALON
Fitchburg, WI
eccosalon.com
Sarah and Trent Lange
’12: $808,000
’13: $927,000
INCREASE: 15%
SQUARE FEET: 1,900     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 18
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce, Mail Chimp
“As the business landscape continues to rewrite itself, it’s more important to engage your customers on a personal level. Since we’ve started our engagement program, which consists of social metrics and survey metrics, our engagement has grown 30 percent.”

EDGE HAIR DESIGN
Canton, OH
edgehairdesign.com
Patti Chaney
’12: $737,000
’13: $917,000
INCREASE: 24%
SQUARE FEET: 4,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $37
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Pureology, Redken
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Envision, Demandforce
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We recently implemented a leadership team, which is comprised of two team members from each salon department. The leaders meet monthly to develop goals and objectives to support the growth of the entire company.”

ELAN HAIR STUDIO
Sea Girt, NJ
elanhairstudionj.com
Kellie Diana Johnson
’12: $1,099,000
’13: $1,452,000
INCREASE: 32%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $70
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Oribe, Shu Uemura, Pureology
COLOR: Redken  
TECH SUPPORT: STX, Survey Monkey
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, NCA, PBA  
“We think about value-added services and continually raise the bar with complimentary makeup touchups, scalp massages, essential oils, warm towels and more. Something our guests love is we have ceramic name plates at each station and we write ‘Welcome’ and their name before the service.”

ELEMENTS SALON
Fernandina Beach, FL
elementssalonfl.com
Jessica Greene
’12: $348,000
’13: $389,000
INCREASE: 12%
SQUARE FEET: 1,400     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 10
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $58
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Moroccanoil
COLOR: Rusk  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz   
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“To solidify loyalty, our goal is to ‘touch’ each guest 24 times per year. One successful way we have done this is by handwriting thank you cards, birthday cards and notes just to let them know we are thinking of them. We keep custom notecards, envelopes and return labels in the backroom for easy staff access.”

ELLE MARIE HAIR STUDIO
Bothell, WA
ellemariehairstudio.com
Colleen Buck, Lorry Green and Jody Bossert
’12: $1,794,000
’13: $2,865,000
INCREASE: 60%
SQUARE FEET: 1,000, 1,600, 2,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 62
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $44
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology
COLOR: Redken  
TECH SUPPORT: Envision, Constant Contact
“Our new breast cancer awareness event, ‘Pink Hair 2 Save a Pair’ raised more than $6,000. The funds were presented to two individuals in our community who were selected from more than 40 nominations.”

FIVE SENSES SPA AND SALON
Peoria, IL
fivesensesspaandsalon.com
Paola Hinton
’12: $1,346,000
’13: $1,558,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Web Openings
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“In 2013, we continued to focus on our retail and backbar inventory. Our efforts have helped us minimize ordering to approximately every three to four weeks, which allows for better use of staff resources while always having back stock on hand.”
 
THE FIXX HAIR STUDIO
New Braunfels, TX
thefixxstudio.com
Lauren and Robby Kinsey
’12: $373,000
’13: $566,000
INCREASE: 52%
SQUARE FEET: 1,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $47
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology
COLOR: Redken  
TECH SUPPORT: Envision, Demandforce
“To keep staff motivated to sell retail, we implemented a friendly competition that posts all individual retail-to-service percentages on a board in our breakroom. The percentage directly affects the order in which walk-in clients are distributed.”

FRINGE HAIR CO.
Germantown, TN
fringehairco.com
Carla Cutsinger
’12: $853,000
’13: $943,000
INCREASE: 11%
SQUARE FEET: 3,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 24
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $53
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Moroccanoil, Kenra, Bumble & Bumble
COLOR: Keune, Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Salon Iris   
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Over the course of six months, I released eight staff who were not team players. While this had a huge impact on the bottom line, morale in the salon has never been higher. This has resulted in better energy in the salon that clients can feel, and revenue is back up.”

G MICHAEL SALON
Noblesville, IN
gmichaelsalon.com
Greg Lee
’12: $531,000
’13: $919,000
INCREASE: 73%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $58
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: J Beverly Hills, Kenra, Hot Tot Haircare
COLOR: Wella
TECH SUPPORT: Vagaro   
“Our management team meets daily to drive more business through our doors by positively fueling social media, working with other local businesses to cross-promote, and exploring new products and stylist tools to improve the capabilities of our professionals.”

GARBO A SALON & SPA
Austin, TX
garboasalon.com
Marsha Power
’12: $1,152,000
’13: $1,417,000
INCREASE: 23%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 26
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Salon Biz, Demandforce, Constant Contact, Garbocandy.com
“Our new mobile-friendly website is feature-rich and guest friendly, providing updated online booking options, team bios, galleries of our work and social media ties. It’s much more engaging way for guests to learn about us.”

HAUS SALON
Minneapolis, MN
haussalon.com
Charlie Brackney and Jessica Reipke
’12: $812,000
’13: $1,191,000
INCREASE: 47%
SQUARE FEET: 1,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 22
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $77
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Oribe, Number 4, Baxter
COLOR: Wella  
TECH SUPPORT: STX
“We consistently send out press releases, which have resulted in high-profile placements in magazines, newspapers, on radio and TV. Our owner Charlie Brackney now has a regular segment on a popular Twin Cities radio morning show where he acts as beauty and fashion expert.”

HOLLYWOOD HAIR SALON AND SPA
Centralia, IL
hollywoodhairsalonandspa.com
Sonya Gettinger
’12: $653,000
’13: $737,000
INCREASE: 13%
SQUARE FEET: 2,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Paul Mitchell  
COLOR: Paul Mitchell
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Salon Builder
ASSOCIATION: CC
“Our management team is holding daily meetings to review goals and watch key indicators, such as frequency of visit and daily sales totals. The team is held accountable for salon goals, up-sells, rebooking, frequency of visit and callbacks.”     

IHLOFF SALON AND DAY SPA
Tulsa, OK
ihloffspa.com
Marilyn Ihloff
’12: $568,000
’13: $663,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 6,000, 4,000, 2,400   
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 141
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $46
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA, I/SPA
“To grow spa services we encourage corporate groups through our Corporate Brochure which is distributed to business groups and we enourage hotel and convention traffic by building relationships with concierges and participating in the Chamber’s Visit Tulsa program.”

IMAGE IS... SALON
Timonium, MD
imageissalon.com
Michele M. Clifton
’12: $706,000
’13: $860,000
INCREASE: 22%
SQUARE FEET: 2,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $46
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology
COLOR: Redken  
TECH SUPPORT: STX  
“Several years ago, I was chosen by Salon Centric to participate in a focus group. The group consists of a dozen owners from Maryland and Virginia who meet quarterly in a non-competitive environment. This environment allows us to network and openly share ideas and experiences.”

J. HENRY SALON, INC.
Portland, ME
jhenrysalon.com
Jaison Henry, Cynthia Brainerd and Adam Huntley
’12: $254,000
’13: $309,000
INCREASE: 22%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Shu Uemura, L’Oréal Professionnel
COLOR: L’Oréal Professionnel  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBooker   
ASSOCIATIONS: Strictly Business
“We offer a retail promotion where a guest can bring in their old or unused product to be donated to a local women’s organization, and we give them 25 percent off their retail purchase with us.”

JOLI SALON AND SPA
Lexington, KY
jolidayspa.com
Jessica Beall
’12: $552,000
’13: $774,000
INCREASE: 40%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400  
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 22
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Salonbiz, Demandforce
“We simplified the process of purchasing gift certificates by creating an online system, allowing out-of-state guests to easily purchase gifts for friends and family. This simple alteration increased our gift certificate sales by approximately 25 percent.”

JOSE LUIS SALON
Austin, TX
joseluissalon.com
Jose Buitron
’12: $2,600,000
’13: $3,070,000
INCREASE: 18%
SQUARE FEET: 4,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 39
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $80
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Oribe, R&CO
COLOR: Wella  
TECH SUPPORT: Salon Biz, Constant Contact  
ASSOCIATION: Intercoiffure
“We have expanded our retail area, added new products, and change the space frequently to encourage our clients to shop.”

KAI SALON AND SPA
Champlin, MN
kaisalon.com
Laura and Adam Pardo
’12: $765,000
’13: $852,000
INCREASE: 11%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000     
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 16
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $46
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We’ve made it our mission to not only get to know the clients we serve in our own chairs, but to get to know every client that comes to the salon. It has created an environment where clients feel welcome to see any service provider, and it keeps them loyal to the salon and our culture.”

KISS KISS BANG BANG SALON
Fishers, IN
kkbbsalon.com
Tanya Foster, Mike” Cheez” Brown and Megan Crahan
’12: $1,224,000
’13: $1,432,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 1,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 29
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Brocato, DevaCurl
COLOR: Brocato, Elumen
TECH SUPPORT: Spasalon, Demandforce  
“We are constantly doing things to keep the team excited and motivated. We even have ‘book club’ in which we read great business books as a team so we stay on the same page.”

LEADING EDGE SALON
Santa Rosa, CA
leadingedgesalon.com
Paula Lindsay
’12: $673,000
’13: $966,000
INCREASE: 44%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, DemandForce
“In 2012, we started to build a new salon that was located near a busy thoroughfare. It had such a different energy—it was vibrant and commanded attention. We went from 1,400 square feet and seven stylists to 2,450 square feet and 20 stylists in 12 chairs.”

LEAF AVEDA SALON SPA
Brooksville, FL
leafavedasalonspa.com
Lori Sohu
’12: $351,000
’13: $460,000
INCREASE: 31%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 8
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBiz, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“With a combination of cross-promoting, educating guests on retail products and a customer referral program, we feel this keeps the flow of new guests coming to the salon and existing guests coming back for more.”

LEMONGRASS SALON
Fort Worth, TX
lemongrasssalon.com
Rick and Kris Cheek
’12: $2,938,000
’13: $3,801,000
INCREASE: 29%
SQUARE FEET: 1,100, 2,200, 2600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 65
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $48
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda  
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBiz, Demandforce  
“To continue bringing in new guests, we focus on social media, community events and offering hair and makeup service to local publications. We also have a strong loyalty program that rewards our guests with prizes based on their level of purchase.”

MAGGIE THE SALON
Pembroke Pines, FL
maggiesalon.com
Maggie DiFalco
’12: $680,000
’13: $825,000
INCREASE: 21%
SQUARE FEET: 2,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Eufora Aveda
COLOR: Aveda  
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce  
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, PBA  
“Cultural beliefs should be established by the owner. If they’re not, the employees will build the culture. Get everyone on the same mission. When you build a culture together, everyone owns it.”

MENSROOM SALON
Portland, ME
mensroomsalon.com
June Juliano and David Stanley
’12: $536,000
’13: $593,000
INCREASE: 11%
SQUARE FEET: 1,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 6
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, The Art of Shaving, Redken
COLOR: Matrix, Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Mikal, Demandforce, Stylenet
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We believe that every gentleman should receive the same experience a woman does but in an environment created just for them. Today’s men want to look and feel good too, with quality products with an environmental conscience.”

 

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.