Now There’s No Excuse for a Bad Hair Day
Now more then perhaps ever, salons are looking for ways to get more bang for the investment in space in equipment. So we took notice when the following article appeared in the online version of the The New Post’s Page Six Magazine.
Now There’s No Excuse for a Bad Hair Day
A Murray Hill salon primps and crimps busy New Yorkers while they work.
By Christina Amoroso
Photo: Christophe Randall
Four MacBook laptops are enabled with Internet access for customers. “People are kind of surprised to see them,” Hanna says. “Then they check their e-mail.” Now there’s no excuse for a bad hair day or night. Hair Party 24, a full-service salon, is now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, complete with computers to work on while you get pampered.
The Murray Hill business is the brainchild of Jihee Kim Sporch, who brings the high-tech, late-night concept from Seoul, where 12 years ago she opened the first Hair Party 24. The Big Apple outpost emphasizes organic products—like the ginseng, ginger and mushroom powder used in spa pedicures—most of which are shipped in from Korea. The computers are equipped with Wi-Fi so you can finish that important report or clear out your in-box while you get a trim. Big leather chairs and three S-shape chandeliers (each resembling a wave of hair) adorn the sleek space frequented by models, tourists and neighborhood residents.
And while Hair Party 24 charges $5 more per service after 10 p.m., business is buzzing well into the wee hours, especially among workaholics putting in overtime, says manager Hanna Kim. “There are a lot of people coming in for spa services, like massages, manicures and pedicures, or, if they didn’t have time during the day, for haircolor,” she says. So get in there—and get to work.
Hair Party 24, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year; 76 Madison Ave. (at 28th St.); 212-213-0056.
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November 16th, 2008 at 7:15 am
This is truly thinking outside of the box of hours, people and tools to run a salon and staff with business beauty professionals.
During economic times when many are working two jobs or odd hours, they cannot make appointments convenient for the Beauty Professional.
The salons and professionals that do not put customer service first will lose.
The worst thing that a salon and spa owner can do during this time is cut back on service and staff.
Most important is to motivate staff, even in a booth rental situation, to bring more to their clients, more clients and more service hours to keep thier show busy.
Client Keeper is a beauty professional’s best friend with a laptop ready to show the client personalized services. The salon owners can now hold their staff responsible for their clients by having each person use their own client system at their station.
Look for more innovative ideas as the computer revolution is starting to hit the salon industry!
November 17th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
well if you wanted to say that now there is no day for a bad hair day there still is because at my Salon if someone wants there hair done in a bad way we cant tell them that it looks like crap we have to go along with them Because if there happy we have to be happy to even tho you want to tell them that it looks like crap….
November 20th, 2008 at 6:38 am
Chelsea, my advice is a “no more crap” policy. Every client is a walking advertisement. You need towork with clients to negotiate around this. It’s not easy but you can do it. If in the end, you are convinced you will produce “crap”, then politely refuse the service.
Love the idea behind the 24 hour salon. Has me thinking about how to use my space in off hours. Do we add more hours and stagger staff? Maybe. Or can we make mor money if we open for retail only on closed days and make more money from walk by traffic and book appointments for when we’re all in? Maybe we’ll try a free retail consulation day and be open for that and selling product only. A free professional consulation on what products are right for you and how to use them. Spend more the $50 and get half off certain services as a new client? My wheels are turning. Would love to hear others ideas. Does anyone use their space in unusual ways or have longer then usual hours?