Madison Reed Hair Color Bar Williamsburg — Local services in New York

I can see a number of 1 star reviews citing rude behavior of staff at this location. What I experienced yesterday, goes beyond rude, it was verbal abuse. I can not recommend this business to anyone.

I recently relocated to NYC and have been looking for a salon. In mid-August just before I had major abdominal surgery, I had my hair done here after hearing a commercial about it on the radio. It’s been eight weeks since my surgery. I’m only starting to move around. I have a massive ‘open scar’ down the midline of my abdomen. I lost some bowel. I am still in a lot of pain. I lost my job over having this surgery. I wanted to get some hair color to prepare for interviews.

I tried buy a kit via the website on Wednesday but was confused. The Madison Reed website says to visit the salons and ask their colorists questions. I needed to know what color had been used before, etc.

It took me nearly an hour to travel to 3rd Street in Willamsburg. I had other things to do. I had my shopping trolly with me because I am medically barred from lifting more than 10lbs due to the huge incision. I needed to go to the grocery store etc.

Another customer had arrived just before me for salon color. My plan was to sign-up for a salon subscription service – and I told her that - which I will NEVER do now. I wanted to try a take-home kit until I am employed again.

The employee started off with rudeness. I asked the previous color plus the kit price. She quoted a price higher than the website. I said I’d check the website and maybe order online. Home kits are new to me. I sat down because I was in pain, but sat near the door at least three seats away from the employee and the customer. I was the only person wearing a mask. Madison Reed will be able to see on the CCTV footage that I was not near them at any point plus website logs will show that I was on my phone logged into the MR site the whole time trying to buy.

Once I loaded the kit into my cart, I could not find the ‘seal booster’. The only products offered were shine and hydrate. I was struggling. I had just loaded a booster into the cart and was ready to get my credit card when the employee just SNAPPED!

She ordered me to leave and said she can’t have people quote “just hanging out in the store”. I wasn’t hanging-out, I was in the process of BUYING hair color! She told me that I would not get my kit that day and that I needed to leave immediately.

I was in shock that this person just seems to have flown into an unprovoked rage. I told her I was about to pay. She said I can do that from the street. She did not want me in the salon. I had to leave immediately because company policy was to not have people in the salon.

If Madison Reed has ‘a no customers in the salon policy due to COVID’, or mask and vaccine requirements that also needs to be on the website AND front door.

Madison Reed can see on their CCTV that I was nowhere near those two. I was sitting BY THE DOOR at least three chairs away and I was the ONLY person in a mask. I can provide proof of four COVID shots and I have my 5th (new booster) scheduled for this coming Monday. I just had major surgery.

I was forced out of the store. I was shaken. I went to the website to call and complain, but I could not find the HQ phone number. I went back into the store to ask for the HQ contact information, but the employee refused, said she was too busy with her customer, and said if I did not leave immediately, she would telephone the police and tell them I was acting quote “acting strange”! She refused to give me the bosses information and verbally abused me and threated me with an invented sandbagging to the police for standing-up to her highly unprofessional behavior.

According to what she told the woman who’s hair she was coloring, that woman was her first client of the day at around 4pm. I was a walk-in to buy on the spot. She threw me out.

This was my far the worst salon experience I have ever had. Check the CCTV footage and my app usage. This is not a good employee. I will never pay this business...

I have dark brown hair. I went in to get coverage on my roots and a patch of greys on the front right side (at the Williamsburg, BK salon).Very straight forward. The “color educator” did my color and at one point before she started she said “light brown” when referring to my roots- the “color educator” must have misspoken, right? No part of my hair is “light” anything. So just to clarify I said, so my roots will be dark like the rest of my hair, right? Yes, she said. Ok, great. So I sit with the dye for an hour, another girl washes my hair and takes me back to the chair with a mirror, removes the towel, and clear as day, my roots are light brown, almost blond, as is the grey patch. I point to it and say why is this blonde? The girl who washed my hair says she’ll bring the colorist over. The colorist NEVER ONCE came to look at my hair. She tells the assistant from across the room to blow dry a section and take me to another mirror with better light. Yes, that’s going to make light hair darker. So the assistant does. I go to the other mirror with that dry section. Not only is it blond, the greys are STILL THERE. The colorist is talking from across the room. And I tell her, can you just come over here and look at this? Ok, give me a minute, she says. She comes and looks. I tell her it’s blond and the greys are still there. She says, “ITS STILL TOO TRANSLUCENT FOR YOU?” I didn’t come in to get any grade of translucent hair. I came to get dark roots and grey coverage on my dark hair. No accountability what so ever. No apology. No sincerity. Just an offer to color correct it. And then trying to reschedule the color correction over the phone and the the live chat. No one ever picked up and the live chat left me on read. Maybe it’s bc this branch of Madison Reed in Williamsburg is new but it’s NOT WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY. Super unprofessional and...

I wouldn't typically post a review but I recently had such a good experience here where I've had a membership for over a year.

It's really a no frills, no fuss get your roots done and leave. I've never expected much, just that I'm in and out. I leave immediately after the shampoo/rinse because the technicians have never fully rinsed the color from my scalp so I have to shampoo again when I get home. I'm not complaining. Like I said, no frills.

BUT after my most recent visit with the new team member/manager Julian, I was motivated to share my experience. He is a dream. He IS a true colorist. He applies the root color flawlessly, cleanly with expertise and precision, demonstrating that he must have experience applying color. He makes it look easy.

In the past, the others just slap it on to cover the roots and wipe off what gets elsewhere. Not Julian. AND he washed and rinsed my hair so thoroughly. Additionally, he is very welcoming and acts professionally. Nova is also professional and with a good attitude. I just hadn't seen him again for a while so wasn't sure if he was still there.

I come here because of the convenience. Now I'm glad there is a considerate and experienced manager at this location. I only hope the others may learn from him. (I'd give 5 stars if I'd only had Julian....