Drybar - Suburban Square — Local services in Lower Merion Township

I've been coming to this salon on a WEEKLY basis for quite some time now. I've looked at the reviews before mine and am shocked at some of the things I'm hearing. The manager of the salon, Nicole, puts her blood sweat and tears into managing this shop. She has a kind demeanor and is surely one of the most dedicated people I've encountered. She goes out of her way to right the wrongs that are often made by faulty systems and an overarching corporate umbrella that is out of her control. I've witnessed so many situations arise, between electrical fallouts in the shop, system crashes, and the likes. Nicole has addressed these issues as gracefully as possible - making the satisfaction of the shop's clients as her #1 priority. She has made personal calls on her own time to ensure that clients are taken care of surrounding unforeseen circumstances, which, again, are typically out of her control. As far as scheduling goes, the online platform is great, but there is an extra step to confirm your booking which people often miss. Rule of thumb: if you do not get a confirmation email, your appointment has not been made. If you have ever experienced a communication lapse, keep in mind that there is no phone in the shop (corporate rule). All communications regarding scheduling changes go through a call center, which has proven to be the root of some miscommunications. So before casting blame on those in the shop for scheduling issues, take a second to remember that they have no jurisdiction over the schedule. It's not easy managing a shop when you don't have total control of the reins. I'm sure a lot of the mishaps that people have experienced could be avoided if small tweaks were made in the overall system. I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to the girls who always make my long, thick hair (unmanageable to most) look fab, week after week. Taylor and Zoe,...

Disappointing reception day experience despite a great original service

I had a wonderful blowout for my elopement at The Dry Bar on a Tuesday—the style held beautifully for four to five days, and I was thrilled with the result. I even scheduled my wedding reception appointment for 10 AM, excited to have the same great service for another special day.

What happened at the reception was very disappointing. I arrived and wasn’t acknowledged for about 10 minutes. When I spoke with the front desk, I asked to go across the street for coffee and that if I didn’t come back soon, they might not be able to accommodate me. I explained I’d been waiting and hadn’t even been greeted, and I still waited.

Upon returning, I saw a staff member who looked extremely unwell—dark circles, medication, tissues—clearly dealing with a sickness. She said she’d be right with me.

I told the front desk that I have autoimmune issues and wanted to avoid getting sick especially on my wedding day, and I asked if someone could do my hair for the wedding reception that wasn’t struggling with an illness. After about 20 minutes of waiting, I was told they were no longer able to provide service.

As a hairstylist myself, I offered to manage the styling myself to avoid ruining my plans, but I believe this situation could have been handled much better. A simple greeting and clear communication about any delays or cancellations would have made a world of difference for everyone involved.

Tip for brides and clients: If you have a special event, confirm how delays or illness are handled in advance, and remember that a quick hello or explanation goes a long way.

Overall, the original experience was fantastic, but the reception day left me disappointed. I hope they take this feedback to heart and improve their communication and guest handling.

I’ll never come back to...

The area manager just happened to be in the store when I booked! Here name is Victoria and she was amazing as was the branch manager--Telisha. Victoria happened to find out that I had had a previous not-so-great experience at your king of prussia location. She went out of her way to make me feel special and HEARD. She also gave me a small add on which was a nice treat as a way of saying thank you and sorry you didn't have a great experience last time. These things are not SMALL at all, but rather what keeps a company like your's in business. As a business woman myself, I like to call this "not tripping over dollars to pick up nickels" On top of it all, my stylist Kristen--was EXCELLENT. I had a blast chatting with her and my hair looked incredible. I have been to this location, king of prussia, and philadlelphia and this is by FAR your best location. One small thiing, earlier in the afternoon I walked in and two stylists were doing hair (not any of the folks I mention above) I waited for about 3-5 minutes while they continued doing hair and looked straight at me without any acknowledgment, not even a greeting. It wasn't until I addressed them directly, that they finally, begrudgingly it seemed, answered my question about an appointment. Not the look you want for your shop and if it hadn't been for the wonderful reception I had for my actual appointment 2 hours later, this might have been a bigger deal, but I didn't want to ding you on the stores. Not a great look, and I would reccommend ALWAYS having a receptionist at the front to greet, especially because those 2 young women did NOT seem like people people at all--I wonder how long they would have stared at me if I hadn't talked first. Kind of weird. Thank you again for being awesome Telisha, Kristen...