Salon Today - June 2008 - (Page 32)

salons of theyear RSECOND RUNNER UP (TIE): Dennis Bartolomei A After carving a sharp reputation among the who’s-who of hair design since the ’80s, Dennis Bartolomei was ready to call the shots at his own salon in the Windy City’s posh Gold Coast. The result is a sophisticated but inviting space on the second ﬂoor of a historic brownstone. “I’ve worked in so many machineshop, minimalist, super-contemporary salons and I wanted something more homey and boutique-like,” Bartolomei explains. Russet accent walls, along with leopard-print area rugs, throw pillows and armchairs, certainly roll out the welcome mat Clean lines and white walls are broken up with russet accent walls and black and white prints. RDennis Bartolomei Location: Chicago, Illinois Opened: January 3, 2007 Owner: Dennis Bartolomei Salon style: Luxe, calm, modern Square footage: 1,800 Styling stations: 9 Treatment rooms: 0 Equipment: Collins, custom Furniture: Custom by owner Top retail lines: Davines, Nigelle, Profound Beauty Designer: Dennis Bartolomei Judges’ comments: “Classic, reﬁned, understated elegance. Feels like a grand home.” —Ray “The abundance of natural light is refreshing.” —Mitchell to Chicago’s elite, but the predominantly sleek, white space maintains a manorly feel. Bartolomei added graphic interest with striking black-andwhite mountainscapes and Greco-Roman art. The veteran stylist was as hands-on with his namesake salon’s design as he is with his clients’ hair. During the construction phase, he even rented an apartment a block away from the salon, which he used as his “war room.” “If I was going to wait this long in my career to do this, I was going to do it the way I want,” Bartolomei says. Hosting vintage jewelry trunk shows and other events is one way that Bartolomei gives his salon some extra sparkle—and gives clients more reasons to return. He has partnered with jewelry dealers in the city who have a trove of high-end pieces dating back to the swinging ’60s and beyond, from luxe designers such as Chanel and Chloé. To boost day-to-day product sales, Bartolomei made his retail boutique a seamless, central part of the salon, treating it more as a place for client education and guidance, than an afterthought tucked into a corner. He also added a make-up chair, where he says clients inevitably end up to have their eyebrows done by his on-site artist. “We’re trying to break that rush-in, rushout mode,” Bartolomei says. “We always tell clients if they don’t have time to relax and have the services done right, to come back. It makes a big difference.” n If I was going to wait this long in my career to do this, I was going to do it the way I want. —Dennis Bartolomei WEB WATCH Want to see more photos of our winning salons? Visit www.salontoday.com 32 | June 2008 www.salontoday.com http://www.salontoday.com http://www.salontoday.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Salon Today - June 2008

Salon Today - June 2008 Contents Editor's Note Reception Fashion Sense Roundtable Introduction Juut - Grand Prize Winner Gene Juarez - First Runner Up Dennis Bartolomei - Second Runner Up (tie) Sine Qua Non - Second Runner Up (tie) Republic - Third Runner Up Salons of Distinction Products Owner of the Year

Salon Today - June 2008

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