Changes Salon

Excellent service provided by this hair salon. I have had Edward cut and style my hair for many years. He knows exactly what would look great on me and always gives me a great cut. I get so many compliments on my hair, it’s amazing! I highly recommend Changes Salon for any hair or beauty treatment you need.
Consistently the best.

changes salon has the worst customer service in the world. the manager steven yelled at me during the entire meeting. i went in to help my friend and he asked me to leave so that he could scold my friend. the dye job was incomplete and a $ 170 fee was charged. asked for one thing received another charged $ 170 for highlights!!! i can’t believe how rude he was it was ridiculous he tried to intimidate me and when complained steven says oh give me a break i don’t care i have been hearing about this situation all day! i will be reporting the business to the cosmetologists department of licensing and regulation, bbb and the federal trade commission! absolute ridiculousness i wouldn’t recommend this salon if it was the last one in the world. for great and pleasurable service i recommend the ulta salons or salon 241! stay away from changes rude customer service!!!
the owner of changes responded to my review and disclosed client information on a public reviewing website. this is pretty odd for a business that claims to be professional and loved by the community which is actually wrong because the town of northampton does this thing where you state your favorite business in categories and not one vote i saw was for changes salon. the owner stephen called the grandmother repeatedly. also speaking about professionalism and boundaries with customers the owner admitted that he stalked my friend on facebook prior to the consultation which is weird and unacceptable for a «professional» establishment. also just a pointer stephen if your establishment was so well loved you would not need to fish review sites to defend your establishment and it’s reputation. again folks save yourself the trouble and stay away from changes if you believe in fair quotes.

Charges women a ten dollar difference for cutting very short (1 inch long) hair versus what they charge for a man’s haircut. My haircut is essentially a «man’s haircut» — not feminine at all (on purpose) and I am sad to see Changes discriminating based on gender in 2016.
If I had a traditionally feminine haircut that took extra time or products, I could understand. But the hair on my head is cut the same way you would cut the hair on a man’s head. Changes needs to change with the times. This is no longer acceptable.

The hairstylist seemed annoyed and impatient, not to mention she looked like she was 18. That shouldn’t be a factor, but then I saw the job she did on my hair. It was uneven; you can see the roughly cut layers, and she missed many strands. I can cut my own hair with more skill.

Ashley did an amazing job on my hair color! I moved recently from California where I had the same hair colorist for the past 10 years who perfected the shade of blonde I like. After months of growing out my natural color, I decided to try Ashley at Changes Salon. I am so lucky I found her here in town! She listened to what I wanted, even spoke with my hair colorist in California (per my somewhat neurotic request) and did a stunning job on the cut and more importantly (to me) — the color! She is also very sweet and cheerful. I recommend her very highly!

Rather new to the area I needed to find a hair salon and fast. Browsing the websites I found CHANGES in Northampton and called and got an appointment for that afternoon! Even though I was just getting a trim really, with a blow dry/​flat ironing to top it off, I was very impressed by Sarrah, my stylist. She was conscientious and really listened to me before we got started. The price was extremely reasonable; the atmosphere comfortable. I set up for my next appointment before I left.

There are 2 types of people that are hard to find: a good doctor and mechanic. Then there’s the hairstylist. the elusive #3.
Lucky for me, I walked in on a Saturday afternoon and got Elysa as my hair stylist. I told her I was bored of my long hair, and wanted a change (pun intended). We agreed on shoulder length hair with layers. When she finished, I liked it. Then she asked, «Is there anything you would want to change?» Her sincerity in that question was completely genuine. Often times stylists finish the cut, stand back and beam «what do you think?!?» As they marvel in their masterpiece, you’re wondering if you can pull off a shower cap for 3 months… I never give them my honest opinion because a) Don’t think they really want to hear it and b) Don’t want to hurt their feelings. But, Elysa was sincerely asking, so I answered honestly. I told her I liked the cut, but there was something missing from the front. As I stumbled through my thoughts, she nodded her head, made a couple of teeny changes, and BOOM. Night and day. I went from liking my hair cut to realllyyy liking it. The next day, I couldn’t stop running my hand through the hair just to discover new ways for the layers to fall. It looked great no matter what I did.
I gave it a few days before writing this review and I’m still loving my hair. Hope this helps!

Best hair cut I’ve had in a really long time and for about $ 30… Very impressed by the quality for such a low price.

I booked an appointment here after a friend got a great haircut and I needed a last minute highlight while I was in town. I had my appointment with Courtney who was very friendly and an expert on creating the ultimate honey color for summer and toning/​glazing my existing color so it all became uniform. The one thing I cannot stand about getting highlights done is how long foiling takes. It’s kinda one of those unavoidable things, however, Courtney seemed to foil my head (we did ¾ too) in record time. My color is rich, shiny and blends with my previous color and natural color ridiculously well. I was very pleased with the cut I got too; a combination of cleaning up the ends and adding in some layers around my face. I would gladly book another appointment here. Tip-​they do take credit/​debit, however, you will need cash for tip.

I am absolutely in love with this place. I always make an appointment with Kurt and I have never been disappointed. Kurt is very friendly and accommodating, he always listens to what I want to do with my hair and then he makes suggestions. Will keep coming here! Best salon in Noho :-)

I decided to look for walk-​in hair service before attending an appointment that I had scheduled in Northampton. It was only about 9:30 or so in the morning, and so I expected that most salons might not yet be open. Luckily, Changes Salon was open and I was cheerfully greeted at the door. A wonderful woman named Lauren was available, and she immediately settled me in for a wash, cut, and blow-​dry. Lauren was the loveliest person, and she was meticulous about the cut.
When I saw how beautifully she crafted the shape of my new, angled bob to fit and flatter my face, it brought tears to my eyes. I haven’t been so excited and pleased with a haircut in many years. Not that there has ever been anything particularly wrong with my previous cuts; Lauren just really created something beautiful. She did so quickly, skillfully, and with a great presence.
The entire experience was friendly and professional, and with a price under $ 40, it was also very reasonable (I used to pay Newbury Street prices in Boston). I’m thrilled to have walked in to Changes and to have met Lauren. I highly recommend this salon and stylist.

I’ve been coming to Changes for the better part of the last two years, and I love it. The vibe in here is great, the stylists obviously love what they do, and the work is top-​notch and very well priced. I felt bad that I hadn’t written a Unilocal review all this time!
My hair behaves a little strangely and almost every place I go has some trouble with making it work, but not Changes. My availability is somewhat unpredictable so I often have to switch stylists based on their schedule: I can make solid recommendations for Elysa and Courtney. However, I’ve found my perfect match in Sarrah, who, in addition to being a great conversationalist and a talented stylist, is every bit as sweet as she looks! She has repeatedly outdone herself with every visit! Definitely some of the best haircuts I’ve ever had.
The only downside I can think of: the one time I had the owner cut my hair, I actually didn’t like what he did with it. Funny how that happens sometimes.
To the crew at Changes: keep it up! You’ve got a great thing going!

I went here to get a lot of hair cut off over the summer. Elysa was great, very professional and sweet, and did a beautiful job with my haircut and blonde highlights! I got compliments for months.

I was referred to Kurt by a friend. I was hesitant how the visit would go as I have short hair and my friend has long hair. When I arrived, I was greeted by Cole; she was friendly and chatty. But not the annoying chatty, just the right amount of friendly.
Kurt walked over with a smile and greeted me with a friendly hello. We sat down and chatted about my lifestyle and what kind of hair maintenance I was looking for. We established my likes and dislikes about my hair; Kurt gave his suggestions, but he had listened to what I said, so his suggestions were based on my earlier comments.
I am very much a visual person when it comes to my hair and quite particular. I probably verge on crazy when it comes to my hair. I own that crazy with ease :)
Anyhow, after looking at a few photos online, we agreed to a cut and I left the color in his hands based on our conversation. As he did my color we just chatted, I found Kurt very easy to talk with and we had some good laughs. The salon was laid back, but current with the cuts/​colors walking out the door. All the staff was friendly and their respective clients seem to be returning clients. This is a great indication of a great salon when people come back!
The color is done and we start on the cut. I have a short pixie like cut and my hair is thin. I am always a bit hesitant when trying someone new only because if you screw up my hair, I WILL know.
No lie, it was THE best haircut and color I have had in a very long time! The two tone colors we discussed were seamless. You couldn’t tell where the light ended and the dark began (no choppiness) is where I’m going with that. The cut was cute/​edgy, but not boyish. Yes, I have a pixie, but not everyone can do short cuts without making a woman look butch. I have no problem if butch is your thing, but not mine.
I left feeling terrific and when I stopped in at Urban Outfitters before leaving town, I had someone compliment me on my cut/​color!
I’ve since seen Kurt a few more times and will continue to see him. I’m soo glad I took the chance. He now has a re-​occurring customer! In addition to me, my Mother In Law and Niece now go to him, as well.
Anyhow, go see Kurt Sarver if you want an awesome cut and color!!!
PS. Price was reasonable, parking was easy, I love being able to walk around town after I was done, and there are lots of great food places to check out afterwards, as well. Staff was friendly and salon has always been quite clean.
PPS. I just want to mention that I drive from Worcester every 6 weeks to see Kurt. I am a bit OCD about who I have cut my hair, so since enjoying my experience so much, I make it a day for myself: o)

Where to begin? How about three years ago.
I was a junior at Smith and I wanted to cut my hair (NOT the «Smith Chop» — just to switch up my long heavy locks for a more polished look), but was very afraid. Like many young ladies, I am protective of my hair. I’m not sure how I decided on Changes. I feel like I googled «hair salon Northampton MA» and selected based on website or something, then looked at reviews — pretty random. It wasn’t a referral, that’s for sure. Anyway, when I called, I said I wanted to make an appointment for a haircut… «and I’m going to get like 5 inches cut off, so could you schedule someone to hold my hand too?» Not only did the receptionist laugh at my joke (worth one star right there), she actually did make a note that I was coming in for a legit cut and not just a touch-​up. She and my stylist had already communicated about the fact that I was new to the salon and cutting off a fair amount of hair (I feel like they do this before most appointments, which is important to me).
Now for my stylist. I had no preference, and said I was open to whomever, and the receptionist set me up with Rosa. Before we even went to the shampoo station, Rosa sat me down in the chair and took my hair out of its bun and we talked for a solid fifteen minutes about what I wanted. I was confused. No one had ever done this for me before. Then we proceeded as usual; shampoo, conditioner, et cetera. We chit-​chatted and talked throughout the cut and blowdry, and she gave me tons of styling tips for my new shoulder-​length style after I told her it had never been this shaped, and not so short since childhood (I have coarse, curly, extremely voluminous hair that I had usually kept long with some layers just toward the bottom because I was too afraid to try anything else).
My style was perfect. The blowout was flawless. I was hooked. I graduated a year and a half ago (2011) and now live about 2 hours away, and I won’t let anyone else touch my hair. I get it cut every 3 – 4 months and am now in a phase where I’m letting it grow out again. Rosa is extremely helpful and supportive every time I talk about a new style, and crafts exactly what I want without much help or direction from me. We’ve become very friendly over the past few years (although I wager most people think their stylist is friendly toward them — but Rosa really is!) and she is just generally a great person. She is extremely honest, too. About a year and a half ago I was considering getting some highlights or something (my hair has never been treated in any way and is a medium-​dark brown), and I asked her opinion since I know she color treats all the time and loves it: «what color highlights or lowlights do you think might look good?» She told me flatly that she would advise against me messing with my color. She said my hair was beautiful as it is and didn’t need color enhancement. That’s integrity, if you ask me.
Rosa is also SO open to teaching. I’m always working on blowing out my hair, but there’s so much of it and I find it really hard to do. Instead of just observing, I finally asked her for help last time I got a cut, and she walked me through each step, telling me what was important and what wasn’t — bristles on the brush, product, hair dryer strength, and so on. So helpful. She creates great cuts for me that grow out well, and is invested in my hair, recommending different products (not products that the salon has — just general products) and so on. Beautifying people is her passion, and it shows. She is the best.
I’ve never had an experience with anyone else at Changes, but in college I dragged my friend there to get a haircut after someone in NYC, her home, had butchered her fine, curly hair. I made us appointments at the same time, and my friend adored her stylist too, and came out looking and feeling 100% better. She then made her older sister, also a New Yorker, an appointment for her next trip up to Northampton, and her sister proceeded to have an appointment every time she came up after that.
Prices are fantastic. I challenge anyone to find such quality at a price that rivals those of Changes. Customer service is great — they offer me tea and coffee every time and are extremely friendly. Tipping is not available via credit card, and I forget this often, so I dash across the street to Bank of America adjacent to Thornes and grab some cash for Rosa.
Bottom line: best salon ever. RUN, don’t walk.

My third trip to this salon. The last 2 times I saw Rosa. Rosa has moved on to another salon. I recently saw Elysa over the weekend. She recently got promoted from «New Talent.» She is great with conversation and educates you on how to maintain a healthy head of hair. She is just adorable, easy to talk to, and dare I say— I think she cut my hair better than Rosa. :-O

I called in the morning for an appt. and got one on the same day. Prices were very reasonable, especially for NoHo, and included shampoo, cut, and blowdry. The place was clean, well-​lit, and everyone was friendly. Changes did not seem amazing or special, but it was overall a solid experience. Got a great, simple, haircut by Ashley who was lovely. Very kind and open, but not too talky (I think it can be really grating to get a super chatty hairstylist). I will be back for more haircuts and some hair removal… And if future visits go well, I will bump up to 5 stars.

Ever since I moved back to the area, I’ve been bouncing from salon to salon. Desperately needing a major haircut, I started reading reviews on Unilocal.Changes had some great reviews, and it’s only a short walk from work so I decided to give it a try. I got an appointment with Kurt, who was very friendly and accommodating. He made sure that I got the cut that I wanted, and actually blow dried my hair before I left (seems more like the exception than the norm lately).
I loved my new hair so much that I referred one of our customers to Kurt, and she came back to tell me that I saved her from her «really bad haircut» from another salon! She was pleased to find out that she got a discount because she was referred to the salon, and I was excited when she told me that I get a discount too on my next cut!

Elysa (or Alysa) was amazing, best bang trim I’ve ever had. She had the same bangs as I got, so I knew she’d understand what I wanted. I will definitely go back. They don’t take credit cards, which is why they get 4 stars instead of 5, but the quality of work is great… my friend got her hair cut at the same time as I did, and hers looked amazing as well. The other reasonably priced salons in the area are not as good as this one.
Edit: Just wanted to clarify they do take credit cards, but not for tips! I misunderstood what they said.

Considering I just moved to Northampton… new job, new friends, new neighborhood, new hairstylist — what better salon to choose than one aptly named Changes. Plus after asking around, all of the buzz seemed to lead me there.
Kurt — one of their Senior Stylists and seriously, THE best haircut I’ve gotten in as long as I can remember. I’ve been seeing him for nearly 3 months now and time after time… he consistently blows me away. (And not to discount any of the other stylists I’ve seen before who have all been good in their own right, but I have to say… he totally opened my eyes to what I’ve been missing.) And he’s actually a nice guy to boot — easy to chat with and totally puts me at ease. Who knew!
The salon itself is wonderful… warm and inviting in every sense of the word. The staff is outgoing, friendly and definitely add to the whole experience. Parking is easily accessible out front and if you get there early enough, the lively downtown area lends itself to walking around, shopping and grabbing a bite to eat.
Highly recommended!