New York City-based John Barrett is taking a creative approach to tackling pandemic slowdowns facing salons.
The star stylist will launch a partnership with 53 West 53, in which residents of the luxury condo building will receive priority access to the salon’s services, both at the salon located at 36 East 57th Street, and via in-residence concierge stylist service.
“We’ve never done an exclusive association with a luxury building before,” said Barrett, who founded his first salon in 1996. “This partnership is something that is just going to build and build, because when people have access like this, it’s something they will take advantage of.”
The initiative will launch in July, following the opening of the building’s recently completed wellness center — although appointments will take place in clients’ apartments themselves.
While hair coloring appointments will still be reserved primarily for in-salon service due to their potentially messy nature, residents of the building will be able to book preferential appointments for haircuts, hairstyling, makeup application, manicures and pedicures, and will receive on-demand service.
“With this priority booking system, we’re guaranteeing that whatever services these residents need, they’ll get it within a few hours,” Barrett said.
Barrett opened his 57th Street salon upon his 2019 exit from the Bergdorf Goodman salon, which he helmed for 23 years. As with so many other salons, the pandemic took its toll on his business, forcing a shut down. The salon filed for bankruptcy in May 2020, and while it has emerged, business has since been hurt by nearby office vacancies and the temporary closure of the neighboring Four Seasons Hotel.
As a result, Barrett called the partnership a “no-brainer,” anticipating it will play a key role in boosting business back to pre-pandemic heights. The salon’s hair coloring department in particular is already well on its way, showing the strongest recovery to date and reigning as the salon’s most popular service — and the most successful in securing repeat clients.
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Source: WWD