Pictured Jason and David.
Contrary to popular belief, not all salons are soulless entities where employees are clad in black with faces devoid of expression. Thankfully, there is the Red 7 Salon in the River North area; the tones in the place are as warm as the staff. Apparently, Chicago magazine agrees; the journal anointed the make-over boutique 'Best New Salon.'
Windy City Times chatted with Jason Hall, who co-owns Red 7 with his life and business partner David Kafer. Hall weighed in on everything from charities to the salon's unique touches.
Windy City Times: How did you come up with the name Red 7?
Jason Hall: David and I came up with it together. [ Red ] is one of our favorite colors and 7 is one of our favorite numbers—not that we're gamblers! [ Laughs ] It also was our e-mail address for years. Also, we didn't want to name the place something like DavidJason. That seems a bit pretentious. We wanted to give the place a name that was cute, catchy, and meaningful.
WCT: How did you get started?
JH: David was in the salon industry for about 12 years. I've done a whole bunch of things; I went to school for theater and communication and have worked in the retail, advertising, marketing, public relations, and dot-com industries.
I got laid off from a dot-com business and looked for something comparable. [ Eventually ] a friend of a friend suggested to David and I that we should start our own business—but I said no. I envisioned that David should have his own salon but that I would be involved in something else, like advertising. However, when the topic was brought up again, it sounded like a good idea.
I did research for a couple of months about how to construct a good business plan. About three months later I came up with a plan—which I rewrote about 10 times.
Then, we decided to shop our plan around and get a loan. However, a lot of standard banks refused to give us loans because a lot of start-up salons fail. Then, we heard about ACCION Chicago ( a not-for-profit agency that works with small businesses ) —and they were a great help. We opened in May 2002. We've had some bumps along the way but, overall, things have gone pretty smoothly. That tells me that we're doing the right thing.
WCT: Something else that indicates that you're doing the right things is being named Best New Salon by Chicago magazine. How did you find out and what does [ the honor ] mean to you?
JH: It's huge. It's totally huge. Chicago magazine called us and said that they wanted to talk with us. When the reporter contacted us, she said that people had [ communicated with ] them that they should check out our place. The 'Best of' issue is a bible for some people. They keep the issue all year round and visit every place that's listed, from the cobblers to the restaurants.
WCT: And has your business increased?
JH: Yes. I was concerned because I didn't know if I could handle the new business. It's the fear of success. What's been great is that the [ increase in customers ] has been very gradual. What's also great is that we have the staff to cover the flow.
Being named best new salon was just so huge. It showed that we were being validated by our peers, our clients, and the city. It's also a huge opportunity for this start-up business.
WCT: What unique things does Red 7 offer?
JH: First, let me start with our mission statement. We didn't establish it until two years into the business. I didn't want to project something I didn't know yet. Also, I wanted the environment to write the mission statement for me instead of [ the other way around ] .
There are four major points in the statement. The first is to show kindness. The second is to create comfort, basically by setting an expectation. The third is to excite the client by going above and beyond [ the call of duty ] ; listening is key to accomplishing that. The fourth is to create a modern family environment; that involves accepting people. You don't know, for example, why a client might be crabby. Hopefully, we can change that a little and make them smile. Those things, taken together, are what make us different.
In terms of environment, we're different in that we're not the downtown urban salon with thumping modern music and with everyone dressed in black. There's a lot of color here—and we play lots of different kinds of music. We're appealing to everyone's tastes. There's a lot of character here.
In terms of service, there are little things. For example, a lot of downtown salons charge extra for a blow dry; we don't. Also, our clients stay in the same chair from start to finish—and you're with the same person the whole time. To us, it is all about building relationships.
WCT: What are the best and worst things about having your own business?
JH: The best thing is definitely having a sense of pride and accomplishment. The worst thing has to be the time put in. I work 10-12 hours a day; it's very different than the 9-5 shift I used to work. The good thing is that it all comes back to you. Another thing I have to deal with is paperwork; there's a lot of it. However, a computer system and a good accountant definitely help.
WCT: Red 7 has been connected with several charities. Tell me about that.
JH: We've worked with Bottomless Closet, Teach for America, Y-ME, The Cradle ( an adoption agency associated with Planned Parenthood ) , The Festival of the Cinema for the Deaf, and other groups.
We look for organizations that correlate somehow with our mission statement. If clients feel strongly about an organization, we take that into account. We usually offer packages of products and gift certificates that go to silent auctions. With Bottomless Closet, we offered makeovers.
WCT: Where do you see Red 7 five years from now? Do you want a chain?
JH: Growth is exciting but scary. Change in itself is scary. I see Red 7 being bigger. We don't aspire to be a chain. We'd like to have a handful of neighborhood stores, like having one in Andersonville, one in Lakeview, and other areas. I'm not happy with the term 'chain' ...
WCT: How about 'network?'
JH: That works! Thank you! Having a network is not something I'm entirely comfortable with right now. Starting another store in the network would require as much energy as starting a new business. We'll approach it when the time feels right. We'll go ahead when it feels like a natural progression instead of a forced progression. I just want to make sure we don't lose quality when we increase the quantity. That's my answer and I'm sticking to it! [ Laughs ]
Red 7 Salon is located at 210 W. Kinzie St.; ( 312 ) 644-7337.
