Scott Talbot Salon
In Canton, Ohio, in 1975, you could walk into a plant store, cleverly named Plants & Such, and find a small hair salon--Gary’s Place. It was at this unusual location that Jeff Scott got his start, and he was hungry for more.
After a few years with Gary Gerber at Gary’s Place Salon, Scott felt he was ready to go out on his own. Gerber, however, wasn’t going to let that happen quite yet. He offered Scott part-ownership of Gary’s Place in 1978. Nine years later, stylist Shelly Talbot took on the role as well.
When Gary Gerber was ready to fully pass on his legacy, he knew Jeff Scott was the right person to take on the job. Scott, however, knew he needed a partner in this new adventure. He chose a business partner in Shelly Talbot. She had been with Gary’s Place for quite some time, she was experienced, and she was talented. Those weren’t the only factors that went into Scott’s decision, though.
“The main reason I wanted Shelly as a partner was because I didn’t want her as my competition,” Scott laughed.
In 1999, Scott and Talbot completely took over. They gave the salon a fresh identity with the name, Scott Talbot Salon. They still keep Gary’s legacy alive by emphasizing the importance of education--something they believe sets them apart from the rest.
They have an apprenticeship program for stylists right out of beauty school, and 95% of their stylists started with them this way.
Scott offers advice to new stylists, saying, “Look for a salon that provides you with an opportunity to be educated and coached. Look for salons that have your best interest in mind.”
Talbot added, “I love to watch the stylists grow. They start so green, and with the proper coaching, they achieve ripeness. When stylists take on challenges, embrace them, and they are ready for the next challenge, that’s when you know you’ve done well.”
Knowledge is power, and keeping up with an ever-changing industry is important. They offer educational opportunities in their salon classroom to their stylists at least once a month. Keeping up on education, sanitation, professionalism, and the honesty of their stylists allows them to keep the industry standards up.
Their favorite thing about being owners, Talbot stated, is “providing our technicians with the best education, innovative technology, and forward thinking.”
Scott Talbot Salon has come a long way since its days in Plants & Such, and we can’t wait to see where the future takes them!