Mid-price Full-service Hair salon at Stanford Shopping Center
Hair International is located at Stanford Shopping Center, right in the heart of Palo Alto We are committed to providing our customers the best service possible while maintaining our reasonable prices. Our specialties include precision haircuts, men's haircuts and styling, highlighting and color tints, Formaldehyde and toxin-free keratin smoothing treatments, special occasion styling, blow-drys, flat-iron, bridal services [on and off-site] and spa manicures and pedicures.
We use Goldwell products, exclusively - a European color and product line, which also includes an organic color line, Netaya. We are committed to testing all of our products and using only the purest and safest available.
Keywords: Blonde, highlights, color, haircut, blowdry, manicure, pedicure, keratin, keratin smoothing, Brazilian blowdry, Organic keratin treatments, Formaldehyde-free, Bridal hair, wedding hair
Interview Q&A
How long have you been in business?
Hair International has been in business at Stanford Shopping Center for 23 years.
What is your primary product or service?
The stylists and colorists at Hair International specialize primarily in precision haircutting and all highlighting and color services. We are proud to say that we use Goldwell International products - the very best, and this includes an Organic color line ad well, Netaya. We also do a great deal of research into every product we use, including our Keratin smoothing treatments - we use only proven Formaldehyde-free toxin-free colors and treatments. We are committed to our own continuing education in our profession and consistently attend many classes and seminars
How did you first become interested in your line of business? (if owner) - What is your background? (If owner or store manager)
I became a hairstylist after college. For my profession, I took my training in New York where I attended the Paul Mitchell school, and then to Vidal Sassoon haircutting school in Los Angeles, CA, one of the reasons I ended up in California! I felt that there was an opportunity, especially in up-scale shopping areas, to provide people high-end hair services [by highly-trained stylists] for more reasonable prices. In other words, I thought that good-quality hair salons were over-priced, besides which requiring appointments and just not user friendly at all. I felt that customers who were educated and discerning would really respond to a new concept, namely, 40% less, price-wise, than the high-end salons, plus being able to walk in for a service, if need be. Parking was crucial, because no one has time to waste, and our location at Stanford Shopping Center is perfect - on the perimeter directly across from a parking structure.
How do you differentiate yourself from other businesses in your category and area?
We are different in several key areas. Our price-point, for the quality service we offer, is very affordable. We are probably the busiest salon on the peninsula, and we are well- known as a highlighting and coloring salon. Our location is wonderful, very easy to get in and get out of, but of course lot's of customers stay to shop, eat or just wander...Stanford Shopping Center is gorgeous.
We are quite multi-cultural, and represent 12 different countries in our staff. Many of our stylists are bi-lingual, as are our customers, but the language spoken in the salon is primarily English, of course.
We are the only salon in Palo Alto that had it's own parking lot, and that's important!
How many locations do you have and do you have plans to expand?
No plans right now, but you never know!
Provide detailed directions to your location
101 to University Ave, go west. Stanford Shopping Center is located on the Stanford University campus, so follow the signs ...
280 to Sand Hill road, go east.
What type of payments do you accept?
We accept all credit cards and debit cards includng foreign ones, cash and checks.
Which areas do you service?
We service customers from Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Atherton, Redwood City...we also see many people from the east bay and San Jose.
Who owns your company or runs daily operations?
I do!
What are your hours of operation?
We are open from:
8;30 AM to 9 PM all weekdays, Mon to Fri
8:30 AM to 7 PM Saturdays
10:30 AM to 6 PM on Sundays
What is the best compliment anyone can give you?
The best compliment anyone could pay me would be to say that the salon felt like a second home to them. This includes both my staff and customers. If that special relationship develops between a customer and a hairstylist, it is not only based on just business anymore, and can become a deep, long-lived friendship. I have worked hard to grow my connection with my stylists, and as a result have virtually no turn-over, so clients get to see the same faces every time they visit. That kind of security really does create a comfortable and nurturing environment for our customers and stylists, together.
What is your favorite quote or Bible verse?
"Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."
Something to keep in mind, especially these days.
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