We have big news as the new year begins…
We are no longer accepting monetary gratuity.
This may cause a few questions, concerns, or even issues. But this post is to clarify our reasons and our focus, and like most of the conversations with me, let’s revisit the history to really explain our view point.
In the US, the practice of tipping didn’t exist until the mid 1800’s and was brought over from Europe. “However, until the early 20th century, Americans viewed tipping as inconsistent with the values of an egalitarian, democratic society… which promoted tipping as a means to establish social status to inferiors.” Its also been historically associated with post-slavery, rather than paying for labor, allowing employees to survive off of gratuity. Currently within the service industry, gratuity is used to accommodate a wage that is essentially unlivable.
We understand that pricing and budgeting are important to every guest. Quoting a price in a traditional salon setting doesn’t include gratuity, leading to the dreaded math problem. Additionally, it results in a few questions, and even some anxiety, where just about every person has asked…
“Is it 15%?”
“Is it 20%?”
“Should I tip the owner?”
“Are the stylists earning enough to live?”
“Should I tip in cash?”
Personally, I’ve had to ask these questions even in places that don’t traditionally accept gratuity. (i.e.doctors’ offices)
Our team is dedicated to their craft, continued education, and we have a firm belief in working towards having a beneficial æffect while being truly sustainable. This has lead us to streamlining our pricing, based on ensuring a livable wage in congruence with skilled services, individual guest attention, sustainability programs, and an atmosphere that reflects our values.
So now you can relax and enjoy your appointment without the pressure of tipping all while sipping on a hazelnut oat milk latte (Did we mention our new coffee bar?) or a even a local beer (Yay they’re back!)