The Loft

I went into THE LOFT today after looking at what I thought were reasonable prices on their website and invested 4 hours of my time to get some good advice and good work done on my hair. I understood the risk as I have previously henna’d my hair and want to start the process of going naturally grey. I knew that my hair it might not look the way I want it too this first time. In fact throughout the process, Courtney was checking my highlights and yep, it turned blue. So she talked about putting a toner on it to tone it down. We chose a red. (So far away from Grey it’s not funny and I really wish I’d got up and walked out at that point but hindsight is always ²⁰⁄₂₀) Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t totally unhappy with the outcome in light of the long process and what I thought would be future appointments there. In fact, I had a discussion with Rachel initially who booked the appt. and Courtney as well while we chat, that I would be back to continue the process of getting my hair to look the way I wanted it too. But obviously these people are NOT in the business of customer retention, or pleasing their customers. NOT ONCE were prices discussed with me after initially talking about highlights in the beginning and their website clearly states that highlights for a HALF HEAD are $ 75 and she gave me PARTIAL so she said. But even the whole head is $ 107, nowhere near the exorbitant price they charged me. I had also initially informed her that I DON’T blow dry my hair but she insisted that she needed to do this in order to see what my hair looked like in order to cut it! (I’ve worked in hair salons before and NEVER has it been the process to blow dry hair BEFORE you cut it!) But still I went along with her on this thinking she had some grand, master plan… I was open to it. I had stated several times to her that I never blow dry my hair, I certainly never wear it straight. Again, she insisted that my hair needed to be blow dried so that she could see how to cut it and she even got out the hot iron and ironed it dead straight. (Seriously, I think that SHE wanted my hair to be straight or something and since I’d already been sitting in there for 3 hours I really couldn’t be bothered to argue with her anymore.) Once she was done cutting my blow dryed, hot ironed, straight hair, I stated that I wanted my hair wet again as that’s how I like it, it has a natural curl and I leave it to dry naturally. She kept arguing with me that they don’t normally let people leave the salon with wet hair and wanted me to leave with my hair done the way she’d done it she then stated that she’d «spent a lot of time blow drying and ironing it»… BUT WAIT… That’s not all. Once I went to pay, I was slapped with a $ 280.00 bill! And when I questioned it, the cashier was SO rude! Stating, «Well that’s how much it costs!». Courtney was then rude, blabbing on about «that’s how much it costs for a «BLEACH OUT». Excuse me? Where on your price list do you talk about BLEACH OUT? Isn’t that the normal process with Highlights? They were all pretty much RUDE about it and I felt totally ganged up on at the counter. I asked for a break down on my bill and was given a hand written one on the back of her business card that doesn’t even jive with the amount they charged me! I just want to know WHY was I not consulted throughout the process, of the mounting costs of getting my hair to look reasonably acceptable before I walked out the door? Courtney seemed more interested in the Graduation students coming and going while she was doing my hair, than the potentially, really good client she has now lost. (ME) AND let me tell you folks, I will NEVER set foot in this salon again. I haven’t been to a hairdressers for many years and this experience has just left a bitter taste in my mouth. I feel like I’ve been GOUGED because I was a «walk in». As I was leaving, Rachel (I think that’s her name) was outside and I told her that NOT ONCE was I asked, «are you happy?» and that their Customer Service pretty much sucked. Her response was a lame, «I’ll let them know». She let me know that the owner Kelly, is away but judging by the negative comments on their Facebook page (wish I’d read it before I went in there) I wouldn’t have got any satisfaction anyway. Well I’m not happy, just very upset and the only way I know to feel better about this, is to say that THE LOFT will not get another penny out of me and I will certainly NEVER refer another person to this place again either. In fact I will tell everyone I know not to EVER go in there!

I first started with highly damaged hair and needed some guidance!!! The girls at the Loft helped me soooo much. My stylist was very honest and had my best interest. I got some amazing colour and not to mention a latte! I love the little boutique and the décor as well. I have soooo many friends that go here and they are so pleased as well. Not to mention you could spend the whole day using their spa as well!!!