Regis Salon offers latest trends gossip

by Sarah Laubacher
For The Post

If you’re looking for a laidback atmosphere, a heck of a hair wash and of course a great haircut, look no further than Regis Salon, 10 S. Court St. The staff makes first-timers feel like regulars, and the “walk-ins welcome” policy is non-discriminatory.

“I like it because we get a lot of different people coming in, wanting all different kinds of hairstyles,” said Tom Powell, a stylist at the salon. “It’s a wonderful place to work.  I love seeing all the college kids that come in; there’s a diverse array of people.  And I can wear whatever I want.”

With 16 tattoos and seven piercings (five visible), he isn’t your typical hairdresser. I was so engrossed in our conversation about body art and music that I hardly noticed the 5-inch-long strands of hair falling to the ground. This was the first significant change my hair had undergone in four years, and shortening it from halfway down my back to halfway down my shoulders could have been a traumatic experience had he not handled it right.

Regis Salon offers an easygoing atmosphere without stuffy dress codes or cheesy elevator music. On Saturday afternoons you might hear anything from Coldplay to Weezer.

“Sometimes we throw in Sum 41 for those quieter moments,” Powell joked. 

He might kid about not having a sensitive side, but he seemed comfortable with giving a sensuous scalp massage. His relaxing shampoo wasn’t far from those seen on Clairol Herbal Essence commercials, but coworker Jill Frietze claims she is responsible for teaching him his hair-washing skills.

There was a noticeable chemistry amongst the staff, and it seemed they enjoy styling each other’s hair as well as their customers’.

“We like Manic Panic, don’t we Tom?” Frietze said, referring to the time they used the brand to dye his goatee bright blue.

The camaraderie among coworkers is one aspect that regular customer Don Bigotti particularly enjoys.

“I came to Athens in ’95 and always get my hair cut here. I like to come in and relax, talk to the staff,” he said. “They’re great people. And there’s always some sort of drama going on with all these females running around.”

Though Frietze objected, Powell agreed things can get gossipy. “I’m stuck in the middle everyday, being the only guy,” he said.

More important than the daily gossip, however, is customer satisfaction. Preferences are changing, but the staff stays updated. Frietze told me how “punkier” ‘80s hairstyles are making a comeback, and girls are getting their short haircuts “wacky” in the back instead of “stacked.” Guys are requesting longer fades and seem to want more texture on top, as opposed to the simple Caesar cut.

Along with the current trends, I also learned how using Dial soap as shampoo is the first step to creating dreadlocks and how using extra conditioner can combat the corrosive qualities of Athens’ water.

I left Regis Salon a satisfied customer, and according to some, my hair has gone from “long, straight and stringy” to “shorter and sophisticated.” Even if someone isn’t as content with his or her haircut as I am, the Regis salon aims to please. If customers are unhappy with the results, the salon will redo their hair for free or provide a full refund. (But of course, the stylists say that never happens.)