A men's haircut may sound like the most basic service out there- go in, spend maybe fifteen minutes inside and get out. But a local salon in Gainesville is expanding on this concept and making their customers feel more like family in the process.
This salon is Level Up Haircuts, the hair salon designed with men in mind. The business is tucked off on Washington Avenue, but one step inside the building, and you can tell this is a salon that is meant to stand out.
The salon is decorated with bright red and black décor to give a more masculine feel, and if you’re a sports lover, the old stadium seats placed in the waiting area and UGA memorabilia are sure to make you feel at home.
But if you're really not a huge sports person, then the bubbly personality of the staff will certainly help to put you at ease.
Owner Angelica Tabor Fells opened the salon because she felt there was a need for something like it in the Hall County community. She said that after years of working in a salon for someone else, she felt like it was time to branch off and start her own business. Then she believed it needed to be a salon for men, that way men could feel pampered without having to sacrifice their masculinity.
“Men need pampering, as well,” said Tabor Fells. “Society projects them as to be a hard rock, emotionless, just work, work, work. So we took that concept and decided just because society expects you to be a hard-butt twenty-four seven does not mean you’re not human and you [don't] need to be pampered also.”
Level Up offers a variety of options to ensure their customers feel pampered. Some services include a beard trim, hot shave, massage chair and a hot towel to go along with your basic haircut. Level Up even offers its own line of male hair-care products, that way patrons can take part of the experience home with them.
For some it might be hard to imagine a salon geared toward men having much business in Gainesville, but Tabor Fells said the idea is more of a selling point, not a hinderance.
“Our presence is in high demand in Hall County because there is no other place like us,” said Tabor Fells. “And stepping out on faith and opening Level Up has been a huge success and it has given men other options.”
Perhaps part of the reason the business is a success is the weekly discounts offered to customers. One example is Officer Appreciation Week, where during the first week of each month local law enforcement and first responders can come in for services at a discounted price.
And Tabor Fells said that is just one example of many of the discounts they offer to customers on a consistent basis. She said that they offer discounts to veterans every day, and also like to help different charities in the area.
“It’s super huge, like I can’t even list them off. I have a whole calendar of different ones on different days and different weeks of different promotions that we offer,” said Tabor Fells.
Tabor Fells also said her ultimate priority is making sure her customers feel more like family.
“Once you step foot inside of Level Up, it’s family. We know you by your first name, we address you by your first name. We represent you are my friend, you are my family when you come in this door,” said Tabor Fells.
Those interested in scheduling an appointment with Level Up can visit their website here.
