An Arlington stylist is trying to help other salons keep customers looking good.
Anthony Angell was filling in last year at the reception desk of a friend’s salon, Salon Anu in Arlington, when he noticed the out-of-date computer and software, poor marketing practices and absence of music and wireless Internet. The manager agreed to let him make over the salon’s front desk, and word of Mr. Angell’s consulting work quickly spread into what is now his company, Salon Geeks.
“We’re not all geeky,” he said, putting emphasis on the trendy marketing programs Salon Geeks advises. “There’s no pocket protectors.”
Instead of fixing viruses or broken Internet connections, the company advises salons on getting computer programs to schedule appointments, figure out which products are selling the best and create online communities among clients.
“Are you measuring your inventory? What if 80 percent of your retail sales are coming from 20 percent of your products? … You’re paying rent on space for the other products,” Mr. Angell said, repeating questions he asks clients about why they need to computerize.
Mr. Angell, who owns the year-old business with Tiago Soromenho, a Bethesda salon co-owner, has more than 100 clients, some of which are on monthly retainers and others who pay for a few hours of consulting. A retainer starts at $250.
Most of Salon Geeks’ clients are in the D.C. area, but others are in London, Toronto, Chicago, Beverly Hills and Miami, Mr. Angell said.
Palomar opens
The Hotel Palomar officially opened Tuesday with dance performances by three local companies: the Washington Ballet, Gravity Optional and Dance Place’s step team. The Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Group LLC hotel at 2121 P St. NW uses art throughout the hotel, from hiring the Washington Ballet to teach its concierge staff to open doors gracefully to having artists on hand occasionally during its nightly free wine hour.
The Dupont Circle hotel also will have a cultural concierge to inform guests of arts and entertainment options, General Manager Brett Orlando said.
The seventh Kimpton hotel in the Washington area, Hotel Palomar, has 335 rooms. Kimpton spent about $40 million on renovations at the space that used to house the Radisson Barcello.
The hotel is in the middle of a street renovation program that the D.C. Department of Transportation plans to start in the fall. P Street from 20th to 22nd streets Northwest will be repaved, and new curbs and gutters will be installed. The project also includes installation of brick sidewalks, historic streetlights and tree boxes.
In other news …
• Have you seen the covered windows at Gap stores in the Washington area, including the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City? The Gap has covered its windows, up to about 8 feet, with opaque ads telling customers to “fall into the Gap.” It’s a tactic to make customers wonder what’s behind those covered windows and draw them inside, even though they have come to know what’s inside a Gap store, said Kurt Barnard at Barnard’s Retail Consulting Group in Nutley, N.J.
About 80 restaurants in the D.C. area are participating in Tuesday’s Share Our Strength Restaurants for Relief 2 benefit to aid Gulf Coast recovery.
the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, participating restaurants plan to donate anywhere from 5 percent to 25 percent of all food sales, profits from special Gulf Coast dishes or a fixed amount. For participating restaurants, go to strength.org.
• Retail & Hospitality appears Mondays. Contact Jen Haberkorn at jhaberkorn@washingtontimes.com or 202/636-4836.
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