Jaazz Salon and Skin Care returns to its roots

By DAVID TELLER

Staff Reporter

Jaazz Salon and Skin Care Center makes its return to Cheney.

The salon started in what is now a fraternity house on Greek row, and was at the time known as the Philena Apartments. It ws set up in the meager, 470-square-foot common area of the building.

Since then, Jaazz has grown, being selected by the Inlander’s reader’s poll as the best salon in Spokane 10 times, six of them consecutively.

In the 1980s, Eastern Washington University student Mark Brado went to Jaazz to get his hair cut. He really liked Sonna, who worked on him. Things went well afterward.

“I married my hairdresser,” Mark Brado said with a chuckle.

Brado runs the business side of the salon, and his wife is the creative aspect. She also built the training program for the new hires.

In 1985 the Brados bought Jaazz and remodeled to expand their studio to 900 square feet. which took the whole common area in the building.

The Brados thought they grew as much as they could and they still wanted to grow their business bigger.

In 1995 they made the choice to expand to Spokane. Brado said although they would have liked to have two salons, they did not have enough people to run two places, so they gave up the lease in their building and moved.

“It would have been nice to stay,” Brado said.

He added that if they did, they would have been limited in their lease as to what they could do.

Brado never quit looking back.

“From the day I moved…I wanted to go back to Cheney,” he said.

It had always been a goal to have three salons and Brado said Cheney was always the one he wanted to get back to, but the timing never seemed to be right. A couple of opportunities came but never materialized. Brado never quite trying and when a chance came up, he took it.

“This time it worked out,” he said.

Brado said the salon in downtown Spokane at Riverside and Washington remains. He said there are about 37 stylists working there. The transition to Cheney will be smooth. Brado said he’s not trying to run any of the other salons in Cheney out of business. He said the downtown store has a clientele of about 300 from Cheney and are loyal to Jaazz that now have a more convenient salon.

What makes Jaazz stand out from other salons is its mission. Brado said Jaazz has always been dedicated toward education, teamwork and innovation.

“We’re probably the most highly trained staff in the area,” Brado said.

Most entry-level stylists hired by Jaazz have another eight months apprenticeship in addition to the one year of formal cosmetology education they already earned. Brado said he does hire experienced stylists too.

Getting hired by Jaazz is not easy. Brado said candidates go through three interviews with all levels of management, ownership and other staff members, who compare notes afterward. They also have an audition to showcase their talents.

The public will notice a difference at Jaazz. Brado said his stylists are taught the fine art of listening. He said too often people come in exasperated with their previous stylist because that stylist wanted to cut hair as they saw fit and ignored what the customer wanted. The Jaazz the stylists do not fight the customers over what is best.

“We’re really nice,” Brado said.

At Jaazz they do hairstyling, cutting and coloring. They also do facials and waxing. The studio hours are from Tuesday through Friday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Jaazz is at 120 College Ave. Call 838-4995 and ask for an appointment in Cheney.

David Teller can be reached at [email protected]