Pavo Salon — Attraction in Memphis

I have debated writing this review, but as the administrator of a small business I would want to know about a sub par experience that is easy to change.

I have visited Pavo 10 times since October. Eight of those were the standard/expected experience!

A few months ago, I arrived for a blowout with Jasmine. I checked in at the front and waited. I made this appointment to coincide with leaving work and picking up my daughter from school.

I understand that sometimes previous clients run late or a service takes longer, but after 45 minutes I walked up to the front to check. I’d have to leave in about 20 minutes to pick up my daughter so there was no way I would be seen in time. The front desk gave me a half hearted apology that Jasmine had a family emergency. Emergencies happen! Why didn’t they 1. Call me when she had to leave/not come in 2. Tell me when I checked in or 3. Come find me when I was sitting there waiting?

I let this experience slide and returned a few times since then.

This week, I walked in and checked in for my 1:15 appointment. This was scheduled with Lauren. I have never waited more than 15 minutes (aside from the above experience) so I walked back up to the desk after 1:30 to see if Lauren was running behind. A different employee was at the desk and asked if I had check in. I said yes and pointed to the person who I spoke with. She said you are checked in, Lauren will be with you shortly.

I head back to the desk around 1:50 to get a status update. One male employee said Lauren had a full foil in front of you and is running behind. A female employee said Lauren is going to come out and talk with you.

Lauren came out a few minutes later. She said she was running behind with a previous client. She said she told the call center to call me around 1:05 - 10 minutes before my appointment.

I picked up my phone and told her that I had no missed calls or voicemails. Honestly, I don’t know if the “call center” was actually notified. Regardless, I should have been informed at check in before my appointment and/or when I checked back after she would be “with me shortly.”

I was offered to be “fit in” at 2:30 with a different employee, but I needed to pick up my daughter from school and this was 1 hour and 15 minutes past the start of my initial appointment.

There needs to be better communication with the front desk and management should have been brought in during both of these situations to 1. Ensure it doesn’t happen again and 2. To take ownership...

Just moved back to the area and 1st time to Pavo. I called to schedule an appt being sure to tell the receptionist that I needed someone who was great with THICK long hair (I have a ridiculous amount of hair) and that I was looking for an A line lob. They placed me with a senior stylist for my initial appt. I haven't had my hair touched by a stylist in 2 years due to me growing it out to get the length to achieve this look.

I was called the day of my appt to let me know that the senior stylist I was placed with was out sick and asked if it would be alright if the placed me with another stylist, to which I agreed.

When I arrived, my stylist was available early which was nice, but she did not introduce herself requiring me to ask her name before I sat down in her chair. When I told Cheyenne what I wanted, a drastic A line lob keeping my length in the front and shoulder height in the back, retaining the ability to braid it and put it up in a pony tail, she told me that it would look funny despite me knowing exactly how it would look. I didn't argue the point because I hate arguing with stylists or any service industry person who tells me "that's not what you want"...I just told you that's exactly what I wanted! I decided to trust her judgement... And am now reminding myself to not do that. Thank goodness it was not a tattoo.

All in all, while it felt great to get the weight and length of my hair, I was overall disappointed in the look at the end. Not that the haircut looks bad or behaves poorly, but just for the fact that the stylist did not listen to what I wanted and instead did what she was comfortable with. And while I did enjoy the late time slot for allowing me to work around my work schedule, I also wonder if my stylist was just tired, sick of dealing with my stupid thick hair, and didn't want to take the extra time to start with the length I wanted and shorten it up if it was really not what I wanted.

The price was reasonable but at the end off the day, working with a stylist who does not listen to the client was much less than ideal. Luckily hair grows and I'm not maimed so it will work for the time being, but if you want a hairstyle that's more edgy, you may be best served trying Dabbles in Midtown since they are used to catering to the more...

The salon itself is lovely. The way they operate as a business is well executed and seamless. They are a teaching salon and want to see their employees become their best which I value.

I had a very poor experience with Someone who is a part of their academy program. While there was a consultation with her, she didn’t listen. She decided to do her own thing. I gave her three visual cues as to how short I wanted my hair. She even had two tangible things to measure it against and somehow completely cut it 4 times shorter and completely wonky. Not only did she cut WAY more than asked, it was lopsided, it sloped like a hill. What was supposed to be a trim became roughly 6 inches taken off and a whole new cut that is 100% unfavorable. I feel that she took something from me that she wasn’t given permission to take.

Things I believe others should know before booking: Ask what level your stylist is. If you want to have someone in their academy program (teaching program) cut your hair, ask for another stylist to assist them to ensure you are getting what you asked for and the advanced stylist can teach and coach along side them. If you want someone in their academy program to cut your hair ask what you can expect from the stylist, the manager or the person who schedules the appointment. I wish I would have asked better questions, like “what did you hear me say and asked her to repeat back what I said to ensure we were on the same page. Or “can you show me what you’re about to do before you do it to make sure it’s what I’m asking”

I didn’t know she was a part of the academy program when I was booked with her. Even if she is training I would have loved to have known what to expect. Even with adjusted expectations I don’t think anything would have prepared me for the cut she gave me. My cut and experienced with her has been a bit...