Fashion Stores
Parlour
Parlour has opened on Ossington becoming the second salon in as many years to call the strip south of Dundas home. I first discovered it a few weeks back when I glanced at the second floor space just north of Queen and noticed big new windows and white walls instead of the familiar mess of bikes that had long littered the street-scape.
The new salon, founded by former Coupe Bizarre hair stylists Tyler Moore and Franz David, boasts what they like to call a contempo-chic space-design. From their days near Queen and Euclid they have brought with them a self-described list of celebrity clients including Alexis on Fire, Hello Operator and Ron Hawkins. Prices start at $47.62 for students (or $30.48 for kids) and are $57.14 for regular aged peeps before getting into all those extras like styling, colouring etc.
Earlier this week I connected briefly with Tyler to find out more about Parlour. Here's our Q&A:
What can you tell me about the space? What was there before you moved in?
Well, the space has been completely redone. When Francis and I looked at it, it was completely gutted. From what we are told from the landlord it was a rooming house/brothel... sounded very sketchy.
What appealed to you about that location?
We had our mind pretty much set on something on Ossington Ave. We lucked out on this space and jumped on it right away. Ossington has been really up and coming and just love all the galleries and great little community.
And now Ossington has a couple of hair salons. What are you doing different than Lush & Lavish, Grateful Head, Coupe Bizarre and others in the area?
Well in a couple of those cases we are really trying to keep things practical. We love doing unique cuts, but we also want to give our clients exactly what they are looking for which in most cases is something creative, yet practical and easily wearable. On another side of it, we're really looking to make the client feel comfortable and welcome.
You also seem to be branding the salon as socially conscious. Can you explain to me the motivation behind that?
We really think that now a days, with all we know, with what all we know we can do, there is really no excuse for businesses not to take the lead and really start changing things for the better. No one's in the dark anymore about what we can do to help out our communities and environments. We're really trying to do our best given the industry we are in and hopefully lead the way.
To that end, you're offering eco-friendly hair products and donate all your hair cuttings to Matter of Trust. The latter seems like a no brainer. Why aren't more salons doing that? What else would they do with their hair cuttings?
It really seems silly when it's just that easy and helpful, to just box up the hair, and send it out. Not sure why other salons if not all salons don't partake in this considering it's so simple and easy.
I know you can donate hair to the Canadian Cancer Society, though it needs to be of certain length and virgin hair. That of course is another option.
So I guess most salons just throw it out?
Yup. Just in the trash. It can't be put in the blue or green box.
We've had a bit of a debate on blogTO before about the price difference between cuts for men vs. women. Does Parlour charge the same price for both sexes?
We charge the same price for men and women. I know many men with lush, thick hair, and know a lot of girls who have fine thin hair. In the end, it just levels the playing field to those who would either win or lose out to the different sexes pricing.
Discussion
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As for one of the stylists (potentially) having their cut done at coupe? Well, many of the stylists & colorists (I think 4 or 5) who work at parlour used to work at coupe. Perhaps they were visiting a friend?
GREAT cut, don't want to ever go anywhere else again!
This is a great read. Reminds me of JJ Hair Club and my favorite girl, Gloria who works like magic. When I visited the place, I knew right there and then that I am going to meet not just a hair expert but a friend. If you are interested to look great and to have the excellent service of Gloria, have these contact details in mind:
JJ Hair CLub 211 Yonge St 1G Toronto, ON M5B 1M4
She listened to what I was asking for in a hair cut and knew how to execute it to perfection.
I’m not one ever to complain, though this issue has been bothering me for the week.
While in there, one thing that I did ask for was the color be black on the top and the middle to bottom be a fire engine red.
Now my hair is a dark chestnut brown, and thought when going in there that I would be getting my hair bleached to achieve the look that I wanted. Though when sitting in the chair, I was shown a hair chart with different reds and was told that I did not need to bleach my hair to get the same results as I was asking for.
Fine! Cool! You’re the stylist, you know best.
Needles to say that after my hair was blow dried and styled and had a chance to examine my hair. I was a little shocked that from what I was told my hair was going to be. It had turned out cranberry at the bottom instead of fire engine red and black on the top. Suzzi told me that with each wash the red would get lighter and then my hair would become a fire engine red. This hair cut and color cost me $248.00 with tip $306.00. For that kind of money I should have received what I had asked for with no questions asked – just done.
At the moment my hair is a disgusting light brown poo color, sitting on my shoulders. I’m really pissed off.
Today I asked my husband to purchase some bleach for me, so I can achieve the result that I was originally looking for.
How could this be? – How does a hair color only last for a week? Why am I having to bleach and dye my own hair when I just spent all this money?
Overall Suzzi is a great person and a great stylist. The girl does give one hell of a hair cut and I will definitely go back for that!
Anything to do with color - I would highly recommend going somewhere else.