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Clients make the drive for veteran colorist
Trio has a staff of 15 stylists who specialize in either haircuts or color. No one does both. | JACKIE PILOSSOPH~for Sun-Times Media
Trio Salon Evanston
1913 Central Street
(847) 491-6999
www.trioevanston.com
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Updated: March 12, 2013 11:40AM
EVANSTON — Cathy Roesch lives in Chicago, close to dozens of hair salons that are more convenient. So why does Roesch drive all the way to Trio Salon in Evanston for haircuts and color?
Service and expertise, she said
“They are the best,” said Roesch, who has been a client for 20 years, and who said she has three friends who make the drive up here as well. “The way they treat you is impeccable, and the training that the colorists get here is amazing.”
The training comes from owner Philip Palmeri who has been doing hair for more than 30 years. He started his career in 1980 at Vidal Sassoon in Chicago’s Water Tower Place. He also spent time working at the well-known salon Maxine before opening Trio Salon on Walton Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood with two other stylists he’d met at Vidal Sassoon.
Trio Salon Evanston was their second location, which was opened in 2000. In 2010, Palmeri and his partners split up, and Palmeri bought the Evanston location and is now the sole owner.
“The business is better than I could ever have imagined,” said Palmeri, who lives in the city. “It’s always changing. It never gets stuck in the same place and that keeps it interesting.”
Palmeri has always specialized in color and texture, and said the reason he enjoys it so much is that color can make a huge difference in a person’s appearance.
“Hair color is like makeup in the hair,” he said, “Color can bring out the best values in eye color and natural complexion in individuals.”
Trio has a staff of 15, and stylists specialize in either haircuts or color. No one does both.
“We believe that being a specialist allows our staff to stay focused, and allows them to really hone their skills in one particular area,” Palmeri said, “That ultimately gives customers better service.”
Katharina Mark has been a stylist for 27 years and has worked at Trio Evanston for ten.
“We’re all trained together here, and then we train the next generation,” she said.
Mark specializes in shorter hair, and said she doesn’t look at trends, as much as her clients’ personal styles.
“Everybody has his or her own style and I work with that,” said Mark, “I don’t say, ‘Bangs are in, you need bangs.’ It’s more what works for you. You can always add in the trend, but it has to work for you.”
Trio’s services include haircuts, color, highlights, root touch ups, single process, double process, and balayage, which is a French technique that means painting or sweeping the hair. According to Palmeri, it is more subtle than traditional highlights. The salon also does Keratin treatments, blowouts and styling for special occasions, including weddings.
Palmeri said the salon uses non-ammoniated hair color which is gentler on the hair and is a gentler experience for the customer.
Prices at Trio depend on individual stylists. Color starts at $50 for a single process, highlights start at $115 and haircuts start at $55.
“I used to be a hairdresser, and I know what to look for,” said client, Rene Caputo, who drives here from Lake Bluff. “They keep up with the trends and they are always training in order to know what’s new.”
Caputo said a friend recommended Trio 10 years ago, and she’s been coming here ever since.
“They know their business,” she said. “They are experts.”
