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Salon Today 200: ADVANCED EDUCATION

Learning never ends, and these ST200 honorees prove that advanced education fuels the creative and technical fires. They bring in high-profile educators, support their staff’s outside educational pursuits and encourage the sharing of new knowledge with both the team and the clients.

by Salon Today Staff
January 2, 2010
6 min to read


Caruh Salon and Spa

Seattle, WA

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caruh.com

Michael Taylor and Cynthia DeSoto

SQUARE FEET: 3,500

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: monthly

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ED FUNDING PER PERSON: $1,000

AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $58

BESTSELLING RETAIL LINES: Aveda

COLOR LINE: Aveda

SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz

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ASSOCIATION: PBA

“When fund raising for our bi-annual trip to the Aveda Congress Festival, we invite guests to experience an “Evening of Indulgence,” a two-hour rejuvenating spa and hair service with all proceeds supporting education. Guests love to participate in the event and to support continuing education at Caruh.”

The Charles Penzone Family of Salons

Columbus, OH

charlespenzone.com

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Debra and Charles Penzone

SQUARE FEET: 18,000/20,000/12,000/1,100/2,200/2,500 (six locations)

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 512

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: weekly

  1. PER PERSON: 70 hours

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AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $53

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Alterna, Schwarzkopf, Brocato

COLOR LINES: Schwarzkopfand L’Anza

SALON SOFTWARE: RIO Grand by Softbrands

ASSOCIATIONS: Intercorfiure, ISBN, NCA

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“Each professional is required to fulfill 12 Charles Penzone Credits per year above state board requirements—these may be acquired by attending product knowledge classes, technical classes or personal development classes. We offer over 70 hours of advanced education for professional staff all free.”

Craig Berns Salon Spa

Delafield, WI

craigberns.com

Craig and Mary Beth Berns

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SQUARE FEET: 3,200

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 21

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: weekly

ED FUNDING PER PERSON: $500

AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45

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BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda

COLOR LINES: Aveda

SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium

ASSOCIATION: PBA

“We offer matching dollars for all approved outside education. Everyone is expected to be involved in some sort of education. This benefits everyone as the knowledge is shared with other technicians on training mornings. Currently we are partnering with two other salons to provide education from a nationally recognized make-up artist.”

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HQ Salons Spas

Westlake, OH

hqsalonspa.com

Ron and Tamara Bennett

SQUARE FEET: 6,500/2,400/2,700 (three locations)

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TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 55

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: monthly

  1. FUNDING PER PERSON: $1,100

AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $44

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda

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COLOR LINE: Aveda

SALON SOFTWARE: SpaBiz

ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA

“Twice yearly, HQ coaches attend spring and fall trends classes. Within two weeks after the class they are scheduled to import that knowledge onto the entire team. It is the coaches’ responsibility to schedule and set up the class, and invite and excite the team.”

Interlocks Salon and Day Spa

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Newburyport, MA

interlockssalon.com

Ginny Eramo

SQUARE FEET: 4,300

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 48

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FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: annually

ED FUNDING PER PERSON: $1,000

AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $62

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Kevin Murphy, Difiaba, Empower

COLOR LINE: Wella

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SALON SOFTWARE: ProSalon

ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA

“Each year staff travel to Europe to attend educational venues such as Cosmoprof in Milan and Salon International in London, as well as various schools and trade shows throughout the U.S. While the salon pays for the travel and educational costs, the staff typically share or absorb the hotel costs.”

Jenni’s Salon and Spa

Normal, IL

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jennissalonandspa.com

Jenni and John Kanski

SQUARE FEET: 6,000

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: weekly

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  1. FUNDING PER PER50N: $2,030

AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $38

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Paul Mitchell

COLOR LINE: Paul Mitchell

SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium

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ASSOCIATION: NCA

“Since advanced education is directly connected to career path our stylists celebrate advanced education with their clients. After attending the JPMS Gathering, the salon facilitates a fashion show with the focus on recent style and color trends. Throughout the salon we play DVDs from events, end stylists display their mannequin heads with recent work.”

Randolph’s Salon

Waterford, MI

landolphssalon.com

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Scott and Mary Randolph

SQUARE FEET: 2,400/1,700 (two locations)

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 43

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: monthly

  1. FUNDING PER PERSON: $400

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AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $38

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Redken

COLOR LINE: Redken

SALON SOFTWARE: Envision

“Three times each year, we fly in Redken national performing artists for hands-on education, and regional artists twice each year for a total of five advanced classes that stylists from other salons only get to see at trade shows. Upon a stylist’s 10th anniversary with the salon, we honor their dedication with an all-expenses paid trip to the Redken Exchange in New York.”

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Salon 01

Carmel. IN

salon01.com

Micki and David Stirsman

SQUARE FEET: 10,000

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TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 38

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: weekly

  1. FUNDING PER PERSON: $2,200

AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $57

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Aquage. Brocato, Private Label

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COLOR LINES: Artego, Davines, Joico

SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium

ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure. PBA

“We are Fortunate enough to have top-notch educators come into the salon and give private classes to our staff. Candy Shaw, Ann Bray, Luis Alvarez, and Sam Brocato are among the industry greats who have visited our salon. We document these classes with photos and post them on the news page of our website, as well as on our Facebook page.”

Signatures Salon

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Lake Charles, LA

signaturessalon.biz

Wendy White-McCown

SQUARE FEET: 2,000

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13

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FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: monthly

ED- FUNDING PER PERSON: $550

AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $39

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Bumble and bumble

COLOR LINES: Wella, Organic Colour Systems

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SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz

“While attending classes is vital to the life of a professional salon, sharing the information with fellow staff members is of equal importance. We achieve this with a morning training time for the attending stylists to teach other staff members the high points of the lesson.”

Travis Parker Salon

La Jolla, CA

travisparker.com

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Travis Parker

SQUARE FEET: 1,500

TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 10

FREQUENCY OF EDUCATION: weekly

  1. FUNDING PER PERSON: $500-$1,000

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AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $101

BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Kerastase. L’Oréal

COLOR LINES: L’Oréal

SALON SOFTWARE: Elite

ASSOCIATION: PBA

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“We are honored that every stylist in our salon is a L’Oréal Professionnel artist. We have stylists that range in every tier of L’Oréal’s educational program and we encourage and inspire each other to be the best educators we can be to the people we teach, as well as to our own team.”

“To foster continued education among our most talented professionals, we have established creative teams for all departments to inspire, educate and encourage the creative spirit of our professionals. Team members meet monthly at the home office to discuss industry trends, sample new products and discuss new services. And, creative team members serve as mentors to aspiring professionals and tech specialty classes.”

—Debra and Charles Penzone

The Charles Penzone

Family of Salons

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Additional Honorees

Anaala Salon and Spa, Madison, WI

Art + Science Salon Spa, Philadelphia, PA

Bell Tower Salon, MediSpa and Store, Wyomissing, PA

Ginger Bay Salon and Spa, St. Louis, MO

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Green Peridot, Frisco, TX

Habitude Salons and Spa, Seattle, WA

The Loft Hair Design, Escondido, CA

Luxe Salon, Denver, CO

Mango Salon, Richmond, VA

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Paris Parker, Hammond, LA

Paul Kenneth Salon and Spa, Woburn, MA

Sagittarius Salon and Spa, Hagerstown, MD

Samuel Cole Salon, Raleigh, NC

Schardein and Co., Oklahoma City, OK

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Valentino’s Grande Salon, Whitby, Ontario

Wax Poetic, Burbank, CA

Wisteria Salon Spa, Greenville, SC

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