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"Sola salons" typically refers to the broader network of salon-studio locations built on the same independent-suite model, spread across many cities. Each location houses multiple individually run studios, so the experience and pricing at one location can differ from another even within the same city.
What Stays Consistent Across Locations
What tends to stay consistent is the structure: private studios, independently run businesses, and direct booking with the professional. What varies is who works there, their specialties, their pricing and their availability — which is why it's worth researching the specific stylist, not just the location.
How Locations Typically Grow
Salon-suite locations generally grow by leasing out individual studios to independent professionals one at a time, rather than hiring a full staff at once the way a traditional salon would. That means a newer location might have several open or recently filled studios, while an established one in a busy area is often fully leased with a mix of professionals who have been there for years alongside newer additions. Turnover and mix both affect the overall feel of a location, even though the physical structure — a hallway of private studios — stays the same.
Why Reviews Are Trickier at Salon-Suite Locations
A common mistake is reading reviews for "the salon" as if they describe a single, uniform experience. Because each studio is run independently, a five-star review might describe one specific stylist's studio, while a one-star review a few spots down could describe an entirely different professional at the same address. When researching, look for reviews that name the specific stylist or studio number, and treat location-wide review scores as a weaker signal than they'd be for a traditional single-owner salon.
What This Means for New Clients
If you're new to the salon-studio model, the most useful first step is identifying a specific professional — through a referral, social media portfolio, or a website like this one — rather than simply walking into a location and hoping for the best. Because there's no shared front desk steering you toward an available stylist the way a traditional salon might, a little upfront research goes further here than it would elsewhere.
What Makes One Studio Different From the Next
Because every professional decorates, stocks, and runs their studio independently, walking down a single hallway of studios can feel like visiting several completely different small businesses. One might be minimalist and clinical, focused entirely on efficient service; the next might be warm and personal, filled with plants and personal touches that reflect the owner's style. Neither approach says anything about skill — it's simply a reflection of how each professional has chosen to present their business, which is one of the more distinctive features of this model compared to a uniform, corporately-designed salon chain.
Locations Change Over Time
Because studios are leased independently, the specific professionals at a given location can change more often than staff at a traditional salon would. Someone you loved working with a year ago may have relocated to a different building, changed specialties, or moved on to a different career entirely. If you haven't visited a specific studio in a while, it's worth confirming the professional is still there before assuming your usual appointment routine still applies.
Finding a Location
See our guide to finding a studio near you for practical search approaches, or start with the main Sola Hair Salon guide for an overview.
Independent informational resource. Not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Sola Salon Studios. This page makes no claims about specific locations, availability or pricing at any particular address.