Tim Timmons Creates A Place Men Can Call Their Own

When Rachael Hoffman, Keune’s vice president of marketing and brand development, showed Tim Timmons the handsome new 1922 By J.M. Keune packaging nine months ago, the savvy salon owner had an epiphany. He knew he had to create a special space for his male clients, which comprised 35% of his business at Salon Gloss and Spa in Woodstock, Georgia. The question was whether to do it in his existing space or open a separate barbershop. The new Keune line for men inspired his decision.

“With the men’s category growing so quickly, my goal was to get our male clients out of our styling stations and into barber chairs,” explains Timmons. “With the average men’s ticket running $40 to $50 and the average woman spending $200 to $300 per visit, it made sense from a business standpoint. I had grown tired of the spa and when I saw the gorgeous new 1922 By J.M. Keune line, I decided to create a complementary space for men within Salon Gloss. The concept for 1922 Men’s Grooming Salon was born.”

Timmons immediately called George Keune, CEO of Keune Haircosmetics North America, to discuss a partnership in recreating his salon and got his blessing. Next, he rang up his salon furniture company to discuss how to create an award-winning environment that spoke to the 1920s era. The collaboration was on!

When Timmons, an accomplished designer and two-time SALON TODAY Salons of the Year honoree, creates a salon space, every detail matters. He hired two barbers to provide an authentic service experience for haircuts and hot shaves (both can be packaged for $65.00). The 1,000 square feet dedicated to 1922 features five stations equipped with barber tools and two shampoo bowls. Guests wait in a comfortable bar area. At the shampoo bowl, they’re treated to hot towels on their faces and a special scalp massage designed for men, following by a hand massage. During the service, men are offered a shoe polish. 

Timmons’ new custom 1922 barber chairs feature upgraded leather, hand stitching and blue and silver details that reflect the 1922 by J.M. Keune packaging. The décor features masculine wood and metal furniture and accents, while candles create a sweet tobacco and smoke fragrance. As part of the redesign, Timmons repurposed one spa room, so they can still offer their clients massages, facials, microdermabrasion, waxing and more.

After opening at the end of June, 1922 Men’s Grooming Salon has taken off quickly. “We give all of our female clients a tour of the new area, and they immediately start selling it for us,” says Timmons. “We sold 20 gift certificates before we opened, and our phone is ringing off the hook.”

To grow the business beyond referrals, Timmons is planning promotions with a local cigar bar and a popular microbrewery, makeovers with local businesses and an advertising campaign, paired with editorial, in several local magazines.

“With Keune, I’m a name—not a number,” says Timmons. “They consider their customers family, they value their relationships with salons and they really deliver on that promise. I am so proud of this relationship. Over the past month, George Keune called me four or five times just to check in and he and their corporate team attended our grand opening party. That’s the kind of company they are, and partnering with Keune has elevated every part of my business.”

Keune Haircosmetics North America was founded in 1922 by Jan Keune, a young Dutch pharmacist who bottled his first product at his own Amsterdam pharmacy. Today, Keune is a professional, color-strong, family-owned and operated hair care brand available in more than 70 countries. Keune hair care and color products are developed and made with care, love and passion and are for use exclusively in salons and available only through official distributors and professional hairdressers. For more information, visit www.keune.com/na.