Empire Hair Studio

I got here right as they were finishing up but they were very kind and took me in anyway. Everyone who worked there was friendly and Chelsea, who cut my hair, did an awesome job. It was exactly what I wanted and you could tell she knows her stuff. The atmosphere is also great. Cool art, funky and classy vibe!

I was new to Memphis and this salon was recommended. I was butchered and three months later I am still trying to get hair looking normal. Please use at your own risk. Tricia.

This has been my hair salon ever since I followed my stylist Jeni there a few years ago. Jeni is the only one allowed to touch my hair! Her talent with color is seriously miraculous and her personality is always delightful to be around. I have seen a lot of her work because I send everyone I know to her and they always compliment her artistic skills and thank me for the recommendation. I recently decided to donate my long hair so naturally Jeni did the job, cutting off about 10 inches and leaving me feelings so light, free, and trendy! Jeni has been in charge of my hair for almost 7 years and will always be my one and only magical hairstylist!
PS — I love that she is at Empire now because of the fashion forward ambience and Midtown Memphis vibes the salon offers! Always a fun time :)

Becky is the first stylist in my 46 years that ever made me like and enjoy my hair. Her cutting skills are amazing. Her color is phenomenal. I thought I just had hair that wouldn’t do anything. Turns out, I just never had the right stylist. Becky is so passionate about her place, Empire. And, her enthusiasm is evident in her wonderful team and fabulous place. Love the look, the music, the people and my hair. Becky is one of those folks that you know would come help you if you needed it. She’s a good human and she’s built a great business with Empire.

I feel really bad for writing this, but my experience was so poor and so not what I wanted… I have to be honest. I would hate for anyone to go through what I did.
Please rethink your hair studio choice before coming here.
I went to Empire based on a recommendation from my best friend. I wanted an ombré effect, and my regular hairstylist didn’t advertise it so I didn’t think to ask. I came into my appointment and met my hairdresser (Jeni). After showing her a picture of a medium/​golden brown to coppery red ombré, she said no problem and I had complete faith in her. She did not show me any swatches, so I assumed she just really knew what she was doing. I wear glasses, so I could not see what was happening as she did my hair. She bleached half of my hair (which was completely unnecessary) and ended up dying the top half of my hair this really dark charcoal black color and the bottom was a bright almost neon red. I was absolutely shocked when I saw the result. I had no idea what to do, and so I ended up just paying the $ 250 I was charged and left. I called her back later and told her how awful it was and how it isn’t even close to the picture or what I asked for, and what I got was attitude and an offer to «fix» it, which I clearly did not want because I had lost all trust. I went back to my original hairstylist at Gould’s on Germantown Parkway, and she fixed it right up.
I was just completely shocked at how awful the colors were and how they so missed the mark on what I actually wanted. Even if those were the colors I had wanted, they looked like blocks of color on my head. It was just awful. The haircut I received was okay. Nothing special, and, again, not what I wanted.
Aside from that, the stylists themselves seems very judgmental and argued about music choices, personal intimate relationships, and other random topics during my appointment. not very professional.
The only good thing I have to say is the decorations on the inside of the building. It is definitely modern and edgy.

I admittedly followed my stylist here. You know, when you find a good one, you don’t let them go! She’s been with great companies, both big and small, but I have to say, Empire suits her well!
The first time I actually came to the studio, I was very impressed. The staff are friendly and love making your experience a fun one. Each stylist makes their own hours, so I am always able to get mine on a day that works for both of us. The studio itself is very open, with room for many stylists as well as a large indoor space that appears to be accommodating to larger groups. There is also a small outdoor patio that is great to sit and chat on while you wait.
The personality of the studio and its staff is quirky and fun. I love coming here because everyone feels like family, even when you have just met them. They are not afraid of their own styles and are all eager to help you find yours.
Of course, if my stylist ever leaves, I will follow her, but if she ever left Memphis entirely, I’d probably find someone here to take care of me! Great place!

Connie, you are truly a magician! You always know exactly what to do. Thank you so much for always giving me awesome hair!
I live that everyone is friendly when I am in. I’m sure it’s no different when I am not in.
Great music and atmosphere. I just love Empire!

Well, I paid $ 200 for a dye job that washed out in two weeks. And the irony is that they charged me for extra dye because my hair is long. Well at least my roots took to the dye. Does that mean I can get 90% of my money back?
What’s even more ridiculous is that Connie, asked me what color I wanted, I told her and she went at it! Never showed me a book or swatch !!! I stopped her and said, «stop and show me a swatch.» In which it definitely was not a color i wanted. So I’m thankful for that, but my hair came out more purple than red I’m very sad to say.
Also what is this nonsense with straightening the hair then cutting it?! My hair is thick and wavy and I NEVER straighten it… the result? A crappy everyday hair cut!!!
Save your money and go some where less expensive.
I’m very disappointed.

I have been in Memphis for 6 months now coming from Orange County! I had a hard time finding the right salon! I first tried Gould’s and had a horrible experience, and then a random salon recommended by a friend. My hair is complicated because I have a lot of blonde in it so a lot of stylist try to pick a color from the bottom and match to it so sometimes it comes out darker or lighter! Jen did an excellent job with the color! She is very friendly and down to earth as well. The color is just… I am so PLEASED! I recommend her for anyone who does any coloring/​highlights.

I have been to Empire several times since they opened. I was very excited to have a salon opening so conveniently close to my house.
Empire has done a great job on the the look + décor of the building. It looks exactly like the hip + sexy place trendsetters and alternative types would like to go. Atmosphere aside, the stylists’ customer service oftentimes falls short, and a couple of the top stylists have a very nonchalant, distant attitude and don’t truly seem to care about your business or time. They will carry on conversations with each other and even argue over music during appts? But I digress. I also want to make it clear that the receptionist is wonderful.
The main stylist I’ve seen generally does a good job with cutting and coloring –coloring especially. No streakiness; very nicely blended highlights. However, the customer service from her is iffy. When I had my hair colored + cut by her on a Saturday, it turned into a 4-​hour appointment! She was going back and forth between myself and a friend of hers. «It’s my friend’s birthday,» she explained, as to why she was coloring and cutting on both of us at the same time. So, I ended up waiting almost double as long as I should have. The salon owner was there and didn’t seem to have a problem with this. This particular experience started putting me off this salon. But I went back a couple of more times, since they are so close by.
However, the last stylist I saw spent most of the appointment straightening my hair, and then cut it all one length. But I have super thick, wavy hair and all-​one-​length doesn’t work for me. I did not ask for straightened hair; I was really confused why so much time was spent on doing that instead of thinning out and giving the hair layers — which I had asked for. At least this new stylist was kind and talkative, compared to the ones I’d seen previously. But, I needed to get layers & thinning to fix the haircut, so I ended up going to a different salon two weeks later.
The one male stylist I had a great experience with at Empire is no longer there.
My recommendation is to try them out, but bring a clipping of exactly what you want done.

Kristie is amazing! We discussed what kind of style was looking for and then she took it to the next level. The color, cut and style she did was better than I’d hoped for! Considering the terrible condition of my hair it was nothing short of a miracle. She also waxed my eyebrows and it is the best job anyone has ever done: perfectly shaped and no after burn/​irritation.

I went to this place after a therapy session across the street and did not have an appointment. I had never heard of it or gone before. I told the receptionist that I was looking for a highlight touch up and trim. I had gone from platinum blonde to gradually working to my natural brown with a smattering of two types of blonde highlights over the past year. Anyone who is trying to go more natural and has worked at growing their hair out and using less chemicals as well as going to several master colorists knows that this is an expensive and time consuming process. The receptionist said no problem we have someone who can accommodate you. I just wanted some highlight touch up done so I thought, «No big deal, anyone should be able to do that». Wrong! I knew when she was done in about 20 minutes (and I have very long hair) that something was very wrong!
The girl who did my hair seemed like she was more of a hair washer/​assistant than a stylist. She looked extremely young and was not very warm or welcoming. Anyway, I got home and literally had stripes of over processed blonde on several very noticeable sections of my hair including both my temples. This was the week before my wedding so naturally I started freaking out and called the salon as soon as they opened the next day. The receptionist called me back and expressed how sorry she was and that she would fit me in with the owner that day to get it fixed. I went back and was greeted by the owner who was very nice but said it was no big deal and easily fixed. I expected the owner to work on fixing my hair. She looked it over briefly and then passed me off to another stylist that she guided on what to mix and how to apply it. All in all, I spent four hours in two days to have way more blonde added to my hard won, grown out, healthy hair. The dimension I had previously had was gone. My hair was processed twice in two days (very drying and harsh) and to make matters worse, the girl who made me look like a striped hyena confronted me about it when I walked in and then handed the foils to the other girl who was «fixing» it the whole time. All in all very unprofessional and extremely uncomfortable. I didn’t want that girl anywhere near my hair ever again and now she was right next to me. Then, I felt like I had to tip the owner and the stylist for doing what should have been done right the first time. Not what you want to be wasting time on the week before your wedding. So, I would not particularly recommend this salon.

Amazing! Dara is the best. And a great studio.
Really friendly staff, great location. Parking is weird, but it’s Midtown, so that’s to be expected.
Comfortable studio, with a good variety of music, and really reasonable prices, even for Memphis.

I get my hair done by Tricia who books at booth here. The place is clean and has an awesome vibe. Tricia is good for color and cuts and does an excellent blonde. She won’t take you lighter than you want to be and her jobs last a long time. Plus, she’s super to talk to and makes anyone feel at ease.
Book with Tricia at (901) 734‑0149.

I feel terrible writing this because Empire is super cool inside and when I got there, I really thought I’d found my hair place in Memphis. In Boston where I lived recently there were about 50 hair studios on one street (so there was a wide range of prices, styles, expertise)… I was had grown far too accustomed to the stylist having their creative input and understanding what to do with regard to certain face shapes, thickness of hair, hairline, etc…
I am assuming that it might not be the place, it might just be who I worked with… It was an awkward experience because she didn’t say a word to me the whole time except for terse responses to things I said… There was also really bad weather outside so maybe she was just worried about that? But as a result, she basically quit halfway through my haircut and called what she’d done the style that was «in» right now… like i’ve been living in a bubble and somehow wet slicked back hair that has been barely cleaned up on the edges is the new craze (the car salesperson look)… And why would I want the haircut that was popular right now? I just wanted something creative that looked good on me. I don’t want to look like a drone.: /​
I experienced a similar lack of enthusiasm at Paggio’s where I just ended up with a slightly shorter version of my existing haircut. (But I wanted a change)… Any suggestions of a place with someone creative and skilled? (Someone who loves to style hair)?

Great place! I’m a bit of a tomboy and hate getting my hair cut, and these guys were really welcoming and not the least bit intimidating.
I gave Becky (the owner) only a vague description of what I wanted, and she knew exactly what to do. Professional but still sorta punk, and age appropriate, and btw I don’t use product? No problem! It really came out cute.
The studio space is just beautiful. Huge, high ceilings, cement walls, and socket things hanging from the ceiling that look like waffle irons. I’ll be back for sure.

This place is fantastic.
I’ve lived in Memphis for almost a year and I’ve been going to Supercuts since I’ve been here. I finally gave up on them after about 10 bad cuts.
Empire was better from the minute I walked it. The environment is really cool and the staff are very friendly. My stylist was Don and he was great. Super nice guy, very professional, and an excellent stylist.
They’re also priced very reasonably for a men’s cut. I’m looking forward to going back!

I have never posted a review good or bad, but I was so impressed with Kristie, that I thought she and Empire deserved the credit. Also for others looking for a professional, and competent stylist, this is a review you can trust, as I am a full paying new customer of hers, receiving no kick backs of any kind to give my opinion and statements. I want to put my comments out there for others that were in the same predicament as myself, trying to find someone to design a cut and style that complimented ME! I am happy to say I have FINALLY found one!
I read reviews on Empire, and after calling and talking to an honest receptionist who gave me a choice of several stylist that could me my needs, I chose Kristie.
I got there about 15 or 20 min. prior to my appt. time and she was just finishing up with a client. I waited about ⁵⁄₁₀ min. and she introduced herself and sat me in her chair, wanting me to explain to her what I was looking for. I told her my likes and dislikes about my hair and what I wanted to achieve. I also asked for her feedback and professional opinions regarding the shape my hair was in. (By the way, my hair has always been one of my better assets when under control and on a good day. Here lately, I had experienced too few of those days, hence, I started looking for a new stylist!) My hair is color treated, a natural reddish shade, is naturally curly and increasingly frizzy and down the center of my back. I have a lot of hair, and it being very dry caused it to be even more frizzy. I am 51, and needed help-​in-​a-​hurry!
Bottom line, Kristie knew what I was looking for because she listened, she knew what would compliment me personally because she’s great at designing «an attractive look» and she was able to accomplish everything I was wanting to achieve not by being a miracle worker, but by being very skillful and passionate about her profession! Thank you, Kristie and Empire… one happy customer that will be back again and again!
J. Rutherford
Cordova, TN

I’ve lived in the Memphis area for close to 4 years. In that 4 years, I have bounced from stylist to stylist, never really finding a person or a place that I love. Until now.
I walked in to Empire and did not get an appointment right away, but basically within the hour. So I ran some errands and came back. Kelsey greeted me at the door and we got started! She’s awesome. I am always kind of vague about my hair, since for a long time it was just one length and no frills. I wanted something different, and she knew what to do. Five inches later, I felt like a new woman. I definitely recommend both Kelsey and Empire, the whole staff seemed very friendly.
I was expecting to pay upwards of what I have in the past, simply because I had a great cut and a good experience. Their prices are extremely reasonable.
Bonus: they give you a complementary beverage. So a hairstyle and a glass of wine, and I’m sold. Also, their air conditioning was out while I was there, and they were still working away! It gets hot with all those flat irons and blow dryers going, so I give them major credit for that.
My only regret is that I hadn’t found this place before my wedding! But I’ll be going back in the future, for sure.

I never stick to one place to get my hair did because I don’t often find that I like the cut and/​or I’m lazy. My hair is big. It’s a lot to take on. I actually went here on a whim when driving by and was able to get in without an appointment today and the experience was great. :)
I was greeted by smiling faces, a relaxed, yet professional vibe, and really cool kind of immaculate, industrial interior. Very edgy and cool. Everyone was nice and Jeff, my stylist was easy to talk to and managed to figure out from my garbled nonsense what I wanted in a hairstyle. It had been a while.
I walked out of there feeling all of the things that I hoped for walking in: a stylist that ‘got’ me, a really great haircut by an *experienced* stylist — Jeff has styled for Rusk, and one of the owners asking me if I’d like a mimosa. Not to mention that the price was right, not too high.
I got to look out the open door and listen to the birds chirp on the nice sunny day while listening to some groovy tunes as well.
I’ll definitely be back. :)