A Partner in Business and in Life
At Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty, Director of Operations Natasha McMillen helps bring her wife Janet St. Paul's vision to life, elevating every system from education to operations.
by Stacey Soble
Salon Today 200: RETENTION AND REWARD
“Guests become Premiere Club members by making a one-time payment of $25 and thereafter accrue two percent of the total they spend annually.
by Salon Today Staff
January 2, 20105 min to read
Bell Tower Salon, MediSpa and Store
Wyomissing, PA
belltoweisalonspa.com
Carolyn Helms
SQUARE FEET: 8,000/700 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 54
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 43%
RETURN RETENTION: 88%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 5%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Bumble and bumble, Oribe
COLOR LINE: Davines
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium
“Guests become Premiere Club members by making a one-time payment of $25 and thereafter accrue two percent of the total they spend annually. Members receive a 5-percerrt discount on retail and are the first to know about promotions. Premiere Club members also are rewarded by convenience in scheduling appointments, newsletters and personalized shopping.”
Bien Soigne
Windham, NH
biensoigne.com
Kay Charion
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 31%
RETURN RETENTION: 64%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 72%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $38
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Sukesha, Kenra, Soma
COLOR LINE: All Nutrient
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium
“We have different expected retention rates for styling staff vs. spa staff, different expected number of weeks for return depending on the service class and different retention expectations for new and repeat clients. Knowing industry standards for retention and prebooking, we can then work with staff to set goals for meeting and exceeding these benchmarks.”
Hair on the Avenue
Sinking Spring, PA
hotasalon.com
Debbie and David Meas
SQUARE FEET: 3,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 89%
RETURN RETENTION: 97%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 90%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken. Redken for Men, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
“We pull the files of all guests who have not been in the salon for 120 days and then send a ‘Miss You’ note along with an incentive to return. These are sent to the designer from a list provided. One week after the mailing, our educational director calls the guests and engages them in a candid conversation as to why they haven’t returned and offers his services to help the designer on the next visit.”
Josephine’s Hay Spa and Salon
Houston, TX
josephinesdayspa.com
Vivian Yeh
SQUARE FEET: 5,580/3,000 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 46
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 21%
RETURN RETENTION: 54%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 41%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz/ SpaBiz
“We offer a 10-percent discount for our guests who pre-book four or more appointments. For each referral to the salon, guests receive a $25 gift certificate to the salon. We also post last-minute appointments on Facebook and Twitter—guests who follow us can reserve the appointments for 25-percent off.”
Red 7 Salon
Chicago and Evanston, IL
red7salon.com
David Kafer and Jason Hall
SQUARE FEET: 2,700/1,450 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 55%
RETURN RETENTION: 67%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 45%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $75
BEST-SELUNG RETAIL LINES: Bumble and bumble, Aveda
COLOR LINES: Wella, Aveda. Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
“Our loyalty program is strictly focused on referrals. If a client has three people come in to receive a service with us, then they are rewarded with 50-percent off their next visit. People want and need community and we reward clients for helping us create it each and every day.”
Attract new clients, but keep the old—one is silver, and the other gold. The following ST200 honorees earned strong retention rates for new and return clients and growing pre-booking rates by developing innovative and creative loyalty programs.
Silhouette Hair Design
Melbourne, FL
silhouettehairdesign.com
Darlyne McGee
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 26
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 25%
RETURN RETENTION: 33%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 27%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Matrix, Paul Mitchell
COLOR LINES: Redken, Matrix, Paul Mitchell
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
“We offer a number of loyalty programs our client referral program rewards $10 for each new client, our Lucky 7 card offers the seventh hair cut free, our retail card offers $10 off next purchase when a client spends $100, and we frequently offer free gift with purchase.”
Solaris
Evansville, IN
solarisaveda.com
Debbie Riegel and Arny Carter
SQUARE FEET: 2,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 38%
RETURN RETENTION: 30%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 60%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Biz
“Our ‘Shop Local’ program has done wonders for our business Our spreadsheet keeps a running tally of what clients spend, and our rewards programs are based on varying dollar amount totals Clients are notified of reward eligibility by mail, and depending on the time of year, we can be more stringent or lenient about client rewards to either create demand for the program or boost business.”
SunDay’s Salon and Spa
Laconia, NH
sundayssalonspa.com
Emily and Scott Gagnon
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 9
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 50%
RETURN RETENTION: 90%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 68%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $33
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Aveda, Paul Mitchell
COLOR LINES: Aveda, Paul Mitchell
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“We hosted a year-long event we called Raving Fan, where we searched for our #1 Raving Fan, defined as the existing client who referred the most new clients. Our clients were excited to spread the word, and our #1 Raving Fan received a $300 gift card at our annual holiday open house.”
Total Look Salons and Academy
Fairfield, CT
totallooksalons.com
Cher and Keith Anderson, Pamela Dvorak
SQUARE FEET: 3,500 and 2,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 39
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 48%
RETURN RETENTION: 89%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 38%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken. Pureology
COLOR LINES: Clanol Professional, Redken, Wella
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millenium
“Our managers have daily huddles updating staff on performance and then they encourage them throughout the day. We also post overall team performance and individual achievers in our lounge. And each technician receives a weekly coaching sheet reviewing key performance numbers.”
Westend Hair Co. & Day Spa
El Paso, TX
westendhaircompany.com
Gloria Viramontes and Monica Lorey
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
NEW CLIENT RETENTION: 37%
RETURN RETENTION: 79%
PRE-BOOKING RATE: 44%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“We implemented a valuable system called The Perfect 10. It works by having our clients prebook their next appointment. It they do not modify, move or change the appointment, they are rewarded with 10-percent off their appointment. Our clients love it and it has definitely increased out pre-booking percentage.”
Additional Honorees
Appearances Hair Color and Design Studio, Westminster, CO
Avalon Salon and Day Spa, Deer Park, IL
Ginger Bay Salon and Spa, St. Louis, MO
Lemon Lime, Cohasset, MA
Mango Salon, Richmond, VA
Maximum FX Salons Spas, Austin, TX
Satori: A Salon/Spa/Shopping Experience, Ithaca, NY
Valentino’s Grande Salon, Whitby, Ontario
The Hair Company, Leonardtown, MD
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
Back to Business with the Pinstripe Trend
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
by Stacey Soble
5 Essential Hair & Beauty Industry KPIs And How to Master Them
The strongest salons, spas, and med spas know which numbers tell the real story of their business. In this practical guide, Phorest breaks down the five essential KPIs every business should track to improve retention, boost revenue, and make smarter decisions with confidence.
Sponsored by Phorest
Bella Style Salon's Ride or Die
At Bella Style Salon in Slidell, Louisiana, Director of Operations Angela Meyer tackles inventory, team management, and guest relations. Read all about her in our latest Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
The Constant
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
by Stacey Soble
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti