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Boston is getting pretty windy with all these blow dry bars cropping up, don't you think? The latest addition to the trendy twist on a typical salon blowout is Gust-o, which just opened its 221 Newbury Street doors on Saturday. On first glance, it looks like an inviting boutique, but upon stepping off the sidewalk you'll find the whirr of blow dryers and the scents of Living Proof and Oribe hair care lines.
The Back Bay branch of Gust-o follows its twin location in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis to be exact), which founders Kacey Pohlad and Betsy Hawn launched earlier this fall. Although the two ladies do not come from a salon industry background, they applied themselves entrepreneurially to build a brand and not just a place to pamper.
Pohlad says, "We hope to not only make Gust-o a household name, but also, make the concept of blowouts a household norm." And at $35 a blowout with ten styles and a slew of add-ons like false lashes and scalp massages, Gust-o's services are an affordable luxury to enjoy.
The goal here is speedy service, as Pohlad and Hawn traveled coast-to-coast and all the way to Paris while doing their homework on this type of salon, learning from the best and seeing where their brand can really excel. A standout example: offering iPads for customer use along with free WiFi, so for ladies on the go, a 45 minute slot in the chair can multitask as office time (or more likely, an opportunity to catch up on the latest glossies). With a variety of make-up services, the dry bar is a great jump-off for groups of friends before heading out to the actual bar. In the words of Gust-o, "Do look great, don't waste time."
Schedule an appointment easily online or give them a ring at (617) 927-5451.
· Gust-o Blow Dry Bar [Official Site]