Tabatha's Takeover recap: episode 1.3 "Martino's Salon"

Salon Undercover

Tabatha arrives and grabs Martino, so they can have a sit down discussion and examine what’s going on with the salon. One thing we see right away is the salon is crazy packed with too many clients. Maybe this isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it is when clients are stacked on top of each other.

There are clients being moved during their color, and also clients with gobs of color piling up in her ear. As I’m sure you can guess, Tabatha isn’t standing for it. Martino seems less than concerned and argues that if he has such a large client base. I can see his point, but the salon is still a wreck for the most part. Martino has an affinity for licking his staff and clients. I think this is where we’re going to run into problems. During past shows, we’ve seen junky owners and great staffs, who are ready for a much-needed change. This may not be the case with Martino’s salon. The staff seems to take Tabatha’s visit as lightly as Martino does, and that isn’t going to lead to anything good.

Photo: Barbara Nitke

The Staff Meeting

Prior to the meeting, Martino explains his debt to Tabatha. he owes $40,000 to his mother for his last salon (which I guess went bust) and overall owes $300,000. It isn’t all due to his salon though. His house is on the line, and wears $300 shirts and a bright red Corvette.

Because he is so friendly, his assistants don’t take him seriously. Tabatha explains that he has to follow-through with rules and regulations, so things at the salon will change for the better. He focuses on his staff having a great time, and refuses to lay down boundaries to make it run more efficiently.

The staff arrives and it’s time to hear what they have to say about Martino. There’s a lack of leadership, and the staff explains that there’s no real manager. The staff is very large, and by far the biggest we’ve seen on this show. Staff meetings are non-existent, and they seem crucial when you’re dealing with such a large group of people. There’s one smart ass in the bunch who feels it isn’t necessary to clean anything at his station. There’s about an inch of dust sitting on the already streaky mirror, and he finds it hilarious (which it is). Tabatha has her work cut out for her dealing with a group this large. There isn’t the same enthusiasm in this bunch, so I’m worried as to whether this will actually turn around.

The Assesment

Tabatha brings in her own clients, armed with their celebrity haircut requests. There isn’t a ton of talent here, and most of the stylists seem hellbent on bright colors like pink and purple. Cute, but not for everyone. Tabatha finds a bigger problem with Martino’s choice of words like, “honey,” “baby,” and “sweetheart.” I have to agree. It’s disgusting and annoying. When an assistant agrees with Tabatha and makes it known to Martino, he decides to reprimand he out on the floor in front of everyone. Talk about unprofessional!

Throughout the day, Martino leaves his client under the dryer, while going to gripe at stylists, smoke, and whine to his mother on the phone. Overall, the stylists are doing well, and Tabatha is teaching them how to clean up the ends and create a better environment for their clients. The staff seemed less than pumped, but after a day of learning, the team does seem a bit more enthused then we originally saw.

The next morning, Tabatha makes her way over to Martino’s house to see where he’s spent all his money. Koi fish, flat screen televisions, and a closet the size of a decent bedroom are keeping Martino from getting out of his terribly deep debt hole. He can’t understand how wasteful he’s being, and more importantly that he doesn’t have the money to live like this! What kind of fantasy is this idiot living in?! Sorry to be harsh, but it’s really disgusting to see someone living like this when they clearly have no grasp of reality. After making Martino literally throw money out the window, Tabatha makes him get rid of the Corvette and keep his SUV.

The two head back to the salon, and Tabatha plans on teaching them how to make more sales with product. This is a great way to make back money and get out of debt more quickly. Martino has tried to get the staff to move product, but Tabatha shows them how hit on key points to make the client understand how important professional haircare is. This rejuvenates the staff and they are slowly starting to take pride in their trade and salon.

The Re-Opening

This is one of the less drastic salon makeovers that we’ve seen but anytime you get a new workspace, it’s awesome and gives you a new love for what you do. The staff goes crazy, and Martino loves the energy of the new salon. Tabatha has done a great job, giving the salon additional stations, and showcasing the products so clients can get a clear idea of what’s available.

Martino loves what’s been done, and the staff can’t wait to get to work. A full day of clients have been booked, and Tabatha wants the day of the re-opening to run smoothly. The job of the stylists is to see-through with product, and Martino’s job is to keep his tongue in his mouth and create a professional space for clients and his staff. He lays down a few rules of his own, and the salon gets started on their day.

At first everything is moving great, then they run into the issue of no towels. For some reason, the cleaning lady has not shown up and there are no clean towels. Tabatha and a few of the assistants quickly get to work, taking care of this problem and washing the towels themselves. The stations need to stay clean, and Tabatha and Martino have to reiterate this throughout the day.

At the end of the day, Tabatha assigns a head stylist and a head assistant to keep things running smoothly. The staff has upped their retail sales by 13% in only a day, and if they keep on this track, Martino’s Salon will be out of debt in two years.

The Follow-up

It’s six weeks later, and the salon is doing great. Everyone is taking their job more seriously, and everyone has stepped up their game. The energy in the salon is great, and the staff seems to be happy to be working for Martino. Ahhh…a positive attitude will take you everywhere.