New hair salon to open in early June

Penn students staying for summer session will be the first to enjoy a new high-end salon opening on campus.

According to President and owner Sam Lehman, Jean Madeline, Inc. will open an Adolf Biecker Studio at 138 S. 34th St., scheduled tentatively for “the first week of June.” Ritz Camera previously occupied the 34th Street space.

The location will provide haircuts, coloring, waxing and nail care. The salon will not offer facials or massages.

Although the Adolf Biecker located in Rittenhouse Square is also a spa, the one on Penn’s campus will be a salon only.

The campus salon will feature reduced prices compared to the Center City location. Haircuts will start at $35, but those requesting a cut from a master stylist will pay $65. Manicures will be priced at $18 and pedicures at $37.

“It’s a higher-end salon, and the difference is the amount of training that we give our people,” Lehman said. “They have a workshop every week, so we keep them up-to-date on how to do things.”

The area surrounding Penn’s campus is home to several other hair salons, including The Saturn Club, Joseph Anthony, Penn Campus Barber Shop and Hair Salon and the Jean Madeline Aveda Institute.

John Gavarone, who owns Joseph Anthony, said the future opening will be “disruptive” for the salon’s business, as “competition is growing in the area.”

Gavarone said the 2007 opening of the Aveda Institute as well as Penn Campus Barber Shop and Hair Salon’s decision to offer salon hair care led to a loss of customers. In addition, he cited the recession as another factor that “takes some customers away.”

“We’ve been here for 65 years on campus, servicing the University … just trying to keep up and satisfy our customers for the long term,” Gavarone said.

In addition to offering haircuts, coloring and waxing like Adolf Biecker, Joseph Anthony also offers tanning.

“We invest a tremendous amount in training our people … I just think the competition is good,” Lehman said. “We also have the school at 40th and Chestnut,” he said of the Aveda Institute.

The Institute is a beauty school in which customers can get service from beauty school students at a reduced price. A haircut and blow-dry at the school ranges from $12 to $16, while manicures and pedicures are $10 and $20, respectively.

“But you have to keep in mind they’re students doing work,” Lehman said, in reference to the school’s lower prices.

Penn and Jean Madeline originally talked about locating Adolf Biecker in the space that has since been occupied by Verizon at 3631 Walnut St. Later, the location on 34th Street was chosen, according to Ed Datz, Penn’s Executive Director of Real Estate.

“We believe that a higher-end salon would be a good service for the Inn at Penn clientele and for the larger community,” Datz said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.