Salon Centric

Yolanda and her staff are very friendly! When I lived in alexandria I frequented there all the time. When I was recruiting for a stylist I asked yolanda to let me know if any stylists were looking for a job. she referred someone to me and I hired that person:) I will still come to this location when I need products.

I own a Studio at Sola Salons, I have to go to Centric every week, cannot say enough about Amy and Yolanda, they always smile, they always tell me about sales.
They are the best!!!
Marcela

I really don’t like Salon Centric return policy, it prevents me from buying from them and going to other professional shops. I WILL say that your sales floor employee, Carla, is wonderful. She was very helpful, kind, and is very professional. Kudos Carla!

I pass by here all the time ping ponging between the Home Depot at one end of the lot and the Post Office at the other. So last Saturday I was finally woo’d to stop when I saw their doors flung wide to let the balmy winter breezes in.
And that’s where my adventure ended. Turns out the location is wholesale and you have to be a licensed cosmetologist or know one to shop there. :(I guess I understand that but was still sad. The prices on stuff were amazing.
At least you don’t spend all this time shopping, gathering up your treasure trove and getting your hopes up only to be dashed at the register. The staff is VERY attentive and polite. They quickly let anyone who enters know that they cannot retail to the public but they do it in a very nice way asking «…do you know anyone who is a licensed cosmetologist?»
I certainly wish I did :-)

I love this place. I am here at least once a month (if not more) for supplies, and as a cosmetologist licensed in multiple places, I am glad Salon Centric is a national chain. I also visit their stores in Chicago and New Orleans.
They have a huge selection here… Redken, L’anza, Pureology, the list goes on. There’s a good selection of roundbrushes and I love that the Cricket tailcombs are always in stock. I just picked up a new blowdryer from them three weeks ago and am satisfied… they have a good selection in that arena too. The staff is always willing to help and offers alot of info on new/​upcoming products. They also have SAMPLES often, which I love!
It’s in a parking lot and is by Home Depot — another favorite place — as well as this awesome mediterranean market.
NOTE:
Salon Centric is for licensed cosmetologists only. They are legally obligated by the state board and their manufacturers to sell only to individuals with licenses. If they break that obligation, they get sued. I am upset to read some other poster flipping out about how this place can’t sell to them because they aren’t licensed (and I am offended at the «licensed cosmetologist» in quotes, as if all of the work we do to obtain licensure and keep it updated is invalid.)
That actually makes this place a BETTER business for abiding by the law, not a worse one for sending someone who can’t read on their way in. There are signs on the front door indicating it is for stylists ONLY, so if you somehow manage to miss that and the manager has to tell you they can’t sell to you, that is more your issue than theirs. Salon Centric is owned by L’oreal/Redken, and I am glad they are willing to find retail space for us in higher-​rent areas that are more accessible.

I frequent here and they are always very nice and help you. I love them.

This place is ONLY for «licensed cosmetologists!!!» (as the lady was yelling at us as soon as we stepped one FOOT in the door) and if you make the mistake of entering this store (which is a store front store) you are ridiculed and shunned loudly in front of all the other customers. They apparently like to humiliate people/​their potential customers.
This place should be in an industrial park area if it’s that exclusive and NOT a «store front» store in a strip shopping mall which closely resembles a Sally’s beauty supplies or Freestyle beauty store.
SHAME ON YOU!