S02.E12: Unique Salon & Spa

[Tara Ariano]

A Long Island salon owner needs a boost after an acrimonious split with her former business partner.

[Lola16]

Can't wait!  They are already rumbling on The Profit's Facebook page.

[JerseyGirl]

What's with all the New York business' Marcus is going after this season?  First QueensVibe, then Swanson, now a Long Island salon??

[Lola16]

What's with all the New York business' Marcus is going after this season?  First QueensVibe, then Swanson, now a Long Island salon??

I think it's scheduling convenience (NY/Eastern CT).  Marcus was also here for the reopening of some Crumbs locations.

[Primetimer]

The Profit helps a chain of Long Island salons, but the episode's a little too cut-and-dried.

Read the story

[clod]

:)

 

raise your hand if you did an internet search for "Lawn Guyland" after reading the first paragraph.    ;)

[KHenry14]

He's buying into a 4 outlet Hair Salon just to get a piece of the retail product line? This is surprisingly small time for him. And really Marcus, did you think that there was any upside to bringing the two ex-partners together? That had to be completely staged just to get them into a yelling match. A completely meh episode

[rehoboth]

I kept expecting Tabitha to show up and then the sledgehammer came out - could have used a little originality people!

I fell asleep after the ex-partner confrontation. Does anyone else find Marcus' calm voice is a good sleep aid?

[Lesia]

Yes, this episode was meh, but I love love this show. Marcus rules! And he kinda looks like my dad...

[Amarsir]

A mostly drama-free episode is fine. (Especially after last week.)  But I was disappointed that most of the relevant changes got crammed into the last 3 minutes of the show.  A new inventory system and getting the products into Ulta are what actually matters, but we spent more time that that on ex-partner stress from 3 years earlier.

 

That manager really hung herself.  I was 50/50 on whether the solution would be letting her go or giving her new responsibilities.  But she solved that pretty decisively.

 

I think I'll take to another thread with my response on the season locations.

[attica]

One of the downsides of doing tv in a hair salon is all. the. freaking. hair. flipping/tossing. I suppose I'm channeling my mother now, but cheez: stop playing with your hair!

 

I wasn't too impressed with the choice of the bronze product bottles; didn't Pantene just start doing that?

 

Also: my jaw fell to the floor when I heard the per-bottle cost of that shampoo (or whatever) was $4.50. You can't throw a detail like that out and not justify what's so great about it that costs that much to produce.  I can get a perfectly serviceable bottle of Suave for a buck and a half at retail, fer pete's sake. Detergents, humectants, and lathering agents are not rocket science, nor are any of them remotely pricey in bulk.

[glowlights]

Marcus, Marcus, Marcus... just when I thought it couldn't get worse than Queen's Vibe, you come along with Erika Cole by Raquel. Dollar Store brand, sure (because at one dollar no one cares). $22 per tube? Why would someone pay that much for such a cheesy amateur "private label" when they could spend it on an established brand that doesn't sound like something out of a Bratz movie and is known to work? Ay yi yi. The nail in the coffin was that they didn't spend a single second discussing why this was a product was worth investing in, what's unique about it, the ingredients, what customers love about it, anything. 

 

On the plus side, it was refreshing to see a business owner who knew her numbers and had some shred of business sense, and wasn't a scam artist trying to take advantage.

[Ketzel]

Susan the GM had to be staged, right? In what universe does a general manager who knows her boss has brought in someone to assess the business operations and consider investing, screech her lungs out in front of the two of them at one of the people she's supposed to be supervising? Then get into a "did not" "did too" argument with the other employee? Then be completely unable to answer Marcus when he asked the obvious question, "What are your responsibilities?"  Then have the owner equally unable to answer the same question? The only thing that seemed remotely believable was having the GM walk out on the job without notice, since it was pretty apparent that Marcus had no use for her and Carolyn wasn't going to do anything but follow his lead. Why would she wait to be fired on camera?

 

Carolyn lost a lot of my sympathy when she started whining about how the inventory kept walking out the door and there was just no way at all of knowing what needed to be ordered when, for all the world as if it had nothing to do with her at all. The only way she knew whether they needed to re-order a product was by having someone count the cans in the trash? Seriously?

Edited November 5, 2014 by Ketzel

[Amarsir]

I wasn't too impressed with the choice of the bronze product bottles; didn't Pantene just start doing that?emotely pricey in bulk.

Yeah, I thought the new bottles were far more generic than the old ones. To me, the whole thing suggested a marketing approach of "stupid customers assume it's good if the price is high and the name is esoteric, so let's get some of that."  And via a web search, they are not selling at Ulta right now.

 

I want to see a follow up on this one with some math.  They need to prove that the new system is less wasteful and that the product actually sells.  Right now the only clear improvement was adding more chairs.

[Ketzel]

I want to see a follow up on this one with some math.  They need to prove that the new system is less wasteful and that the product actually sells.  Right now the only clear improvement was adding more chairs.

And cleaning. Don't forget cleaning!

Oh, and some technology to actually count stuff as it was sold/used. What a concept!

[Josiah Bounderby]

Erica Cole by Raquel is a ludicrous and difficult-to-remember name.

 

However, Queen's Vibe (Queens Vibe?) is worse. Much worse. Everything about Queen's Vibe is wrong-headed.

 

First there is the aural confusion created by the name Queensvibe... One word or two? This name has the following sounds side-by-side: n + s + v + a dipthong + b? Impossible to visualize! Tricky to say! Hard to hear. "What did you just say...Queensvye?" 

 

And the practical confusion this name creates: who is this Queen? What is this vibe she possesses?

 

There's also an unhappy disconnect between the sound-based word "vibe" and the fact that this is a place where you make and buy visual art.

 

And once you get past all these obstacles, you end up with the fact that this vibe in Queens is apparently 1989 graffiti done by De La Soul's posse. The name is so dated that it comes across as terminally bourgeois.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Josiah Bounderby

[Ketzel]

However, Queen's Vibe (Queens Vibe?) is worse. Much worse. Everything about Queen's Vibe is wrong-headed.

 

First there is the aural confusion created by the name Queensvibe... One word or two? This name has the following sounds side-by-side: n + s + v + a dipthong + b? Impossible to visualize! Tricky to say! Hard to hear. "What did you just say...Queensvye?" 

 

And the practical confusion this name creates: who is this Queen? What is this vibe she possesses?

 

There's also an unhappy disconnect between the sound-based word "vibe" and the fact that this is a place where you make and buy visual art.

Alas for Marcus, Queensview was taken.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Ketzel

[camom]

When they were talking about "losing" 10% of the products, was it being stolen?  I didn't quite get that.  Also, were the stylists employees of the salon?  Where I live (SoCal), only the discount salons (Super Cuts, etc.) employ the stylists.  At the higher end places the beauticians rent space in the salons.

[Kiss my mutt]

I'm not sure why other salons locally would buy their house products. Wouldn't that be advertising for unique?

[attica]

If the product is any good, a competitor would get the benefit of increased in-house sales, and discourage clients from going to Unique to buy the stuff. It's not the worst idea ever, especially with the name change that obscures its origins.

 

I agree with Sarah that more attention might have been paid to the economics of the number of chairs. For instance, if the stylists rent space, how does that break down? Is it a flat fee, is it a fee plus costs (e.g.color, other product), is it a percentage of take? Do stylists who wear that fugly shimmery pale pink lip color get charged a penalty? Let me rephrase that: they should have to pay a fugly fee. :)

[Amarsir]

By the way, now that I think about it - the whole "look, every seat is full even the ones we added!" moment we saw?  That could purely be because they had to stop serving people during renovations.  Of course you'll be full the day you reopen - you have to make up for missed appointments!

 

Oh, and some technology to actually count stuff as it was sold/used. What a concept!

I'm actually not convinced that matters yet.  As good (and obvious) an idea as it is, we don't know if everyone's going to use it when the salon is busy and customers are waiting.  Previously they'd see what got emptied and order that.  Now they need every bit to be marked down.  If someone forgets, or marks the wrong quantity, or throws out a bottle thinking it's empty when there's still half a dose left - they'll be under ordering.  That's worse than before.

 

I'm not sure why other salons locally would buy their house products. Wouldn't that be advertising for unique?

Good point. That alone might be a decent reason to change the name.  (Although it doesn't justify "Erika Cole by Raquel".)

[JasminePhyllisia]

That GM who quit should start her own business with the guy from the printing company who was making 100K a year for doing nothing. 

 

The product line was a real weak spot for me. As others have mentioned, nothing was clear about what differentiated it from a million others on the market.  The NY area has tons of companies making private label hair/skincare products and many salons have their own.  Ulta?  Not happening. 

 

It's weird that Marcus never even bothered to ask what was special about the products.  He went all out for those protein bars last season because he actually thought they tasted good and that people would buy them.

 

Other than that I liked Carolyn, she's one of the few earnest, straight-up, not crazy business owners (from what they showed us of her) that I've seen on the show. Hope things work out for her.

[Josiah Bounderby]

Everything about this episode says that the producers were enthusiastic about the casting of Unique and that Marcus was not.

He can't scale this. He can't build an empire. And hair products seems like a very crowded marketplace. (Thus, the thoroughly half-assed nature of the product line.)

But the producers loved the potential..."oooh, let's see Marcus surrounded by shrieking, blonde, harpies. Fish out of water! That's some great tv." As it turns out, not really.

[attica]

I've been considering "Various Business Torts" as my next band's name.

[scootypuffjr]

I couldn't stop thinking that, if I walked into a salon and was greeted by an overly tanned, obviously bleached blonde with no eyebrows and pale pink lipstick, who was over the age of 18 or so, I would walk right back out.  Such an unflattering look, and I thought a poor advertisement for their services.  But what do I know; that could be the latest "in" look and I wouldn't have a clue - it seems to be working for her, anyway.

 

I too was wondering what made the house shampoo so special and worth $18, much less $22.  That's a lot of money for a single bottle of shampoo in my household.

 

Ha - I wrote this before I read the recap (great job, btw - thanks very much, as always) but I see Sarah shared my alarm at the one employee's look.  Great minds, and all that, I suppose.

Edited November 6, 2014 by scootypuffjr

[Amarsir]

That GM who quit should start her own business with the guy from the printing company who was making 100K a year for doing nothing.

 

And the floor manager from Stein Meats.

The product line was a real weak spot for me. As others have mentioned, nothing was clear about what differentiated it from a million others on the market.  The NY area has tons of companies making private label hair/skincare products and many salons have their own.  Ulta?  Not happening.

 

I'm seeing two repeatable tricks that Marcus uses in retail spots:

 

1) Show 'em how it's made.  I think this is a good trend that has certainly helped out Chipotle Mexican Grill (to name one chain).  Eventually tastes will probably move away from it but not soon.

 

2) Create your own brand.  This is something that must be easier to do now than it was 20 years ago, thanks to copackers and easy-to-shift digital assembly lines. But it probably works best for things where there aren't already dominant brands, otherwise it will backfire.  For example, if I go into a local convenience store to buy a Pepsi and they say "No we don't carry that, why don't you try a Caitlyn Cody Cola instead?" I'm probably not going back there.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Amarsir

[camom]

 

if I walked into a salon and was greeted by an overly tanned, obviously bleached blonde with no eyebrows and pale pink lipstick, who was over the age of 18 or so, I would walk right back out.

The first time I saw my current hairdresser, I had the same reaction.  She is now 50-something, has long, shapeless, dyed blonde hair.  She also wears clothes from the 90s (think very low-slung jeans) and often has feathers in her hair.  I think she looks awful.  (She does have a great body.)  I love what she does with my hair, though, and she is a great person.  I just wish I could have nominated her for What Not To Wear when it was on.

 

I'm another one who doesn't understand why Marcus was so gung-ho about the private label products.  They're everywhere and I didn't see anything that would make them stand out in a crowd.  I also hated the new packaging and name.

Edited November 6, 2014 by camom

[glowlights]

By the way, now that I think about it - the whole "look, every seat is full even the ones we added!" moment we saw?  That could purely be because they had to stop serving people during renovations.  Of course you'll be full the day you reopen - you have to make up for missed appointments!

 

 

I will bet you my morning coffee those were ringers, same as when Gordon Ramsey reopens a restaurant and there's a line to get in. At least Ramsey's honest that the show gets the word out to ensure a successful opening night. Let's see how many Unique chairs are filled when the show publicity dies down.

 

And anyway, who wants to be squeezed asses-to-elbows when getting their hair done? Maybe if you're only paying $10 for a super quick, super cheap cut. But I think many people pay salon prices to have some semblance of a pampering experience, or at least not feel like they're riding the subway in rush hour. The owner of this salon is not, imo, such a major draw that people will stampede through her doors to get their hair done in a mosh pit.

 

It was pretty telling that someone on Twitter asked Marcus who formulated the hair products and he gave a non-answer. This is just like any other cheap "private label" brand where you pay a company to throw some shit in a bottle and put your name on it, in between doing the exact same thing for a zillion other clients. He's trying to get it into Sephora? LOL 

 

I went to the Erika Cole by Raquel site and it's awful.

[AyeshaTheGreat]

I just came to post about that awful name, "Erika Cole by Raquel".  Nice to know I am not the only one who thought it was terrible.  As for this salon, I didn't care.  I'll look out for an update but salons are pretty much a dime a dozen.  

[raiderred1]

 

And anyway, who wants to be squeezed asses-to-elbows when getting their hair done? Maybe if you're only paying $10 for a super quick, super cheap cut. But I think many people pay salon prices to have some semblance of a pampering experience, or at least not feel like they're riding the subway in rush hour.

I absolutely agree with you on this one.  I live in the middle of nowhere east Texas and I have been going to, what used to be a nice salon, for over a dozen years.  It is a 40 mile drive one way. Anyway, they were really client oriented in the first 8 or so years but in recent years they just don't really give a flip about the clients.  They book our appointments pretty much on top of each other and run us through like cattle. If I could find a great place that gives a shit about my happiness AND my money I'd switch in a heartbeat.  My current place does do a good job on my color and cut but that's because I will put them on the spot if it isn't right.  I'm just tired of the place.  It's not even in a fancy building just an old strip mall.  I did hear that the owner sold the land adjacent to it and I know the area is on fire with new home building so it's not like she doesn't have the money to put into the salon. Meh, whatever.

[qtpye]

I too was wondering what made the house shampoo so special and worth $18, much less $22.  That's a lot of money for a single bottle of shampoo in my household.

 

 

Don't you guys get it....it was in a TUBE.  The tube will magically make us stupid consumers want it, because no other shampoo comes in a tube.

 

I actually like Marcus and the show, but I really did not get what was so special about this product.

[Puddy]

camom - All of that missing product is theft.  Plain and simple.  Having no inventory system and the dispensary "out of sight" is a green light for things to grow legs and walk out.

 

These stylists are/were on the typical 50/50 split.  That means if a service was $100, they got $50 and the salon got $50.  They also keep 100% of their tips.  Sure, some stylists are booth renters and they have to supply all of their own products and tools, but not in this case.

 

Most low end salons have booth renters.  High end salons have employees and use the 50/50 (or 60/40) split.  Places like Super Cuts could never have booth renters.  They employ their stylists so every salon is streamlined across the country.  Booth renting would be a disaster for them.

 

High or low end has no bearing on the pay system that a salon uses but if a salon wants a certain image and to be "known" for their work, booth renting usually will not work.  Upscale salons employ many tiers of workers and a booth renter usually "does it all" from washing hair to the final style and everything in-between.  No cut specialist, no color specialist ~ you do it all.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Puddy

[kacesq]

When they were talking about "losing" 10% of the products, was it being stolen?  I didn't quite get that.  Also, were the stylists employees of the salon?  Where I live (SoCal), only the discount salons (Super Cuts, etc.) employ the stylists.  At the higher end places the beauticians rent space in the salons.

Not sure about NY, but in NJ, booth rentals are illegal - stylists have to be employees of the salon...

 

I love this show and I was excited by the previews showing Marcus visiting a salon. I do miss Tabatha Takes Over! And although I was happy to not have shady owners ala Swanson's, this episode seemed very disjointed. First, it's the general manager from hell! Now it's DRAMA with the ex-business partner. Oh wait, we'll put your products in new tubes and voila! Problem solved.

 

Disappointing.  And I remain really scarred by the look of the Plainview manager with the glow-in-the-dark lipstick. ::shudder::

[attica]

Not sure about NY, but in NJ, booth rentals are illegal - stylists have to be employees of the salon...

 

I hope it's legal in NY; my NY hairdude rents his chair. I'd hate to be getting my cuts from a scofflaw!

[glowlights]

I absolutely agree with you on this one.  I live in the middle of nowhere east Texas and I have been going to, what used to be a nice salon, for over a dozen years.  It is a 40 mile drive one way. Anyway, they were really client oriented in the first 8 or so years but in recent years they just don't really give a flip about the clients.  They book our appointments pretty much on top of each other and run us through like cattle. If I could find a great place that gives a shit about my happiness AND my money I'd switch in a heartbeat.  My current place does do a good job on my color and cut but that's because I will put them on the spot if it isn't right.  I'm just tired of the place.  It's not even in a fancy building just an old strip mall.  I did hear that the owner sold the land adjacent to it and I know the area is on fire with new home building so it's not like she doesn't have the money to put into the salon. Meh, whatever.

 

I feel your pain! Now I go to someone who left a very high end salon in our city and opened her own small atelier with one other partner. So only two chairs, no staff of thousands - just a very private, pampering experience for the same price you would pay at her old salon. She doesn't book people on top of each other, either, even though it means longer hours for her. And guess what? She is always, always booked. Unique Salon (what's unique about it?) is in a Long Island strip mall with a tacky scrolling sign in the window. They'd better have AMAZING stylists at terrific prices if they're going to squeeze so many chairs into that space, because unlike East Texas there is plenty of competition. I hope they're not counting on Erika Cole by Raquel to drive customers.

 

Marcus is trying to vouch for them on Twitter by saying they cut his hair. Uh... he doesn't HAVE any hair to cut! lol

[raiderred1]

I feel your pain! Now I go to someone who left a very high end salon in our city and opened her own small atelier with one other partner. So only two chairs, no staff of thousands - just a very private, pampering experience for the same price you would pay at her old salon. She doesn't book people on top of each other, either, even though it means longer hours for her. And guess what? She is always, always booked. Unique Salon (what's unique about it?) is in a Long Island strip mall with a tacky scrolling sign in the window. They'd better have AMAZING stylists at terrific prices if they're going to squeeze so many chairs into that space, because unlike East Texas there is plenty of competition. I hope they're not counting on Erika Cole by Raquel to drive customers.

 

Marcus is trying to vouch for them on Twitter by saying they cut his hair. Uh... he doesn't HAVE any hair to cut! lol

Ah you are so lucky to have found such a gem.  After I wrote this post I searched the areas in a one hour radius of me and I just don't get the feeling there are great stylists anywhere close to me.  I need to know that a salon has been in business many years with steady happy customers before switching so here I am stuck.  Women in my area don't pay squat for their hairstyles or colors and it shows, so asking around does not help. The area east of me is starting to really grow as they are running out of room in Dallas/Fort Worth so maybe in the next few years we will get a grand spa/salon.  Wishful thinking and fingers crossed.

As for Marcus getting a haircut,glowlights, you are exactly right, WHAT HAIR???

[Lola16]

 

Disappointing.  And I remain really scarred by the look of the Plainview manager with the glow-in-the-dark lipstick. ::shudder::

Pretty sure frosty was the Massapequa salon manager.  Think Baldwin brothers and Amy Fisher (LI Lolita).

 

Kinda a blah episode.  I don't get why Marcus kept dragging the creepy ex partner on the screen unless it was to skirt the gag order and allow her to get her side of the story out.  Dunno.  I could have done without it.

 

Erika Cole by Raquel.  WTF.   What name recognition does that have?  Who are those people?  (I know it's the name of her kids but few other people in this universe know that or care.)  What does that tell me about the product?   Seriously a big swing and a miss.  And if somehow someone did try it, how is it better than Tresemme which it is basically is?  And why would any other salon carry it?  Jeez.  This is like a decision that an uneducated novice would make.  I don't expect Marcus to know the ins and outs of every industry but this is really common sense here.  Unique isn't that unique of a name but that would have more appeal than ECbR. If she wanted to 'honor' her kids on the product, it could be by subtitling the products: giving names to hairspray, conditioner, shampoo etc and then use her kids as models in posters for said products.  A complete waste anyway for repackaged generic salon goods.

 

The GM had to go.  She couldn't even describe what she did.  And when you are not making money, you don't need more layers of management.

 

What I have noticed about the last few episodes is that it chugs along for 55 minutes and then it's over.  Very little summation or wrap up.  All the episodes seem to end prematurely.  Like they ran out of film or time.

[raiderred1]

 

What I have noticed about the last few episodes is that it chugs along for 55 minutes and then it's over.  Very little summation or wrap up.  All the episodes seem to end prematurely.  Like they ran out of film or time.

I also noticed the abrupt ending which makes me scratch my head and go, "huh?"

[clod]

I watched the last half of the dog grooming episode recently.

 

that one ended abruptly, too.     he was staring at the dude wile the dude asked him "are you with me?" (three times).     next shot is of Marcus getting in his car and driving off.  with voiceover.   end.

[Amarsir]

Most of them end pretty abruptly.  I guess that's because unless he walks out, there legitimately isn't any closure.  Most of these places will need time to see what happens.

 

To that end, I understand the last episode of the season will be nothing but followups.  So maybe we'll get some closure then.

[raiderred1]

Most of them end pretty abruptly.  I guess that's because unless he walks out, there legitimately isn't any closure.  Most of these places will need time to see what happens.

 

To that end, I understand the last episode of the season will be nothing but followups.  So maybe we'll get some closure then.

Thanks Amarsir, that makes sense. I think it's a great idea to do follow ups on the season.

[mojito]

 

Carolyn lost a lot of my sympathy when she started whining about how the inventory kept walking out the door and there was just no way at all of knowing what needed to be ordered when, for all the world as if it had nothing to do with her at all. The only way she knew whether they needed to re-order a product was by having someone count the cans in the trash? Seriously?

I missed the whining part. She mentioned the inventory shrinkage, and then Marcus zeroed in on it. I liked Carolyn because she knew that she needed help, that she knew nothing about inventory, that the business could be run better, but she just didn't know how. Unlike many business owners on this show, she recognized her limitations and was open to sharing the business and making changes.

 

As for Erica Cole by Raquel. I doubt that people would called it more than Erica Cole. That's like calling those adhesive strips in your medicine cabinet "Band-Aids by Johnson & Johnson". The third name was just a way to include all her children's names. (An aside, I thought they should have used orange ink on the tubes.)

 

Although I wonder if people stop by the salon to pick up products, I think that many people, feeling good after their new color job, will impulse buy her product on their way out, as they're whipping out their charge card for the services received. It's probably no different than the stuff we purchase at CVS; it's all about perception and catching people in the right frame of mind at an opportune time. She gets an A for effort for this one.

 

I, too, wish there had been more attention paid to the process and not the drama of her previous partner. Totally unnecessary. Shame on you, Marcus. Or maybe not. I watch this show for its educational value and like to see how the before is improved in the after. I don't much care about the conflicts between people, although it is interesting to see how some people react to change. Maybe the angst and anxiety keeps the show on the air.

[TimetoShine]

One of the downsides of doing tv in a hair salon is all. the. freaking. hair. flipping/tossing. I suppose I'm channeling my mother now, but cheez: stop playing with your hair!

 

I wasn't too impressed with the choice of the bronze product bottles; didn't Pantene just start doing that?

 

Also: my jaw fell to the floor when I heard the per-bottle cost of that shampoo (or whatever) was $4.50. You can't throw a detail like that out and not justify what's so great about it that costs that much to produce.  I can get a perfectly serviceable bottle of Suave for a buck and a half at retail, fer pete's sake. Detergents, humectants, and lathering agents are not rocket science, nor are any of them remotely pricey in bulk.

I think if it's good, it's worth the price. Some of the best conditioner I've used is $30 a bottle and I am CHEAP by nature. Suave, while something I buy when I can't get past my cheap inner-self will do nothing for my extra thick hair, unfortunately.

 

In terms of this stuff? I don't know.

Edited December 7, 2014 by corinne