Ask the Stylist: Ross Bartolomei, Salon Hype

Q:  I've read about "blow dry bars" popping up in bigger metropolitan areas across the country.  What's the appeal?  Do you think they are just a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon, or the wave of the future for the salon industry?  To tell you the truth, whenever I need my hair to look perfect for a special event or even just a night out, I go to my favorite stylist.  So, just curious about what blow dry bars offer that my salon doesn't?

A.  Here's what I think!  Blow dry bars offer pictures of five looks they will create for you -- straight, up, curly etc. making it visually easy for the client to get the look they desire.  I think there is a small market for this kind of service, but the target market is the transient client.  Lets face it, when you are out of town for a short period of time you're not likely to have your hair cut or colored, so you might want to give a blow dry bar a try.  I think this concept is best suited for urban areas, where there is high tourism traffic, but not for the discriminating client. Blow dry bars are essentially no more than a cost cutters type salon that only does blow outs using loosely trained, recent grads with little experience.  My clients that have indulged in blow dry bars out of town have been dissapointed.