If you’re anything like us, you’ve spent countless hours scouring reviews and social media hashtags to find the best beauty professionals and services in town — especially if you have specific needs like thinning or curly hair.
Juel Salon in Franklin, TN, excels at hard-to-find services like blonde specialists, extensions, and perhaps one of their biggest draws: curly cuts! We sat down with founder and owner Johnna Bates and co-owner Nicole Barnett to learn all about the salon’s unique approach to hair styling and why Juel Salon is THE destination for curly hair in the Nashville area.
Located in Franklin, TN, Juel Salon is best described as an upscale and chic salon with a touch of Southern charm.
As soon as you step inside Juel Salon, you’ll immediately notice something different about its environment and team of professionals. Johnna says that when most people with curly hair walk into a salon, they can get turned away. In fact, many stylists are either afraid or don’t know how to properly care for curly hair. At Juel Salon, however, every client is welcome and guaranteed a luxury experience.
The idea for Juel Salon actually came from Johnna’s passion for “all hair,” which she defines as all hair types, not hair services. “About seven years ago, we had the perfect team and really wanted to help embrace all hair, so we started doing a ton of curls,” Johnna explains. “We get over 100 new curly clients per month, and that’s been consistent for about six years now.”
“One of my favorite quotes from Johnna is that all hair deserves a luxury experience,” adds Nicole. “That doesn’t mean stiff or unfriendly. It just means we are here to serve our clients and want them to have an exceptional experience and feel taken care of and educated.”
Juel Salon can service any client who walks through the door — especially those with curly hair. Johnna says they even have clients who travel from other cities and states for their 12-week appointments.
Because Juel Salon welcomes over 100 curly hair clients every month, it’s essential for stylists to have the tools to properly serve every person who walks through their doors. While most salons typically have three or four shampoo bowls, Juel Salon has seven shampoo stations. This is because the stylists know that women with curly hair tend to spend more time at the shampoo bowl than in the chair.
The shampoo bowls are also where Juel Salon stylists educate their clients on properly caring for their hair. Mirrors are attached to every bowl, so clients can see precisely how their stylist wets and washes their hair. The salon is also equipped with special dryers that don’t overheat curls and make it easy for clients to get in and out.
“For most curly girls, when they walk in here, they’re like, ‘Oh my goodness, I feel at home. These are my people,’” explains Johnna. “It’s not just the technical background that we have, but we’re also set up with the right tools. We also have the equipment to support curly girls and give them a good experience.”
Equipped with seven shampoo stations, Juel Salon can service over 100 clients with curls every month.
While it can take other salons a couple of hours to treat curls, Juel Salon can typically do so in an hour. “We’ve got tools that don’t overheat curls,” says Johnna. “We’re set up with equipment, but also with our knowledge and hands-on experiences.”
Nicole adds that Juel Salon stylists are well-versed and educated to understand each client’s individual hair journey. “Trust is the key thing for a guest coming in with curly hair,” she explains. “We’re here to service the person, and that includes the journey they’ve had up until the time they walk in. We know how to earn their trust and make them feel comfortable, and we can go at the pace that’s right for them.”
Another key component within Juel Salon’s mission is education. Throughout your appointment, your stylist will teach you how to properly care for your curls at home. In fact, Johnna says a Juel Salon stylist will show you how to take care of your curls on your own before they even begin to cut your hair. Some of their tips include spending about two to five minutes getting your hair wet in the shower before adding product and using an old cotton t-shirt to dry your hair.
Before your stylist cuts your hair at Juel Salon, they will sit down with you to discuss your hair care journey and teach you how to maintain your curls at home.
In addition to educating clients, Juel Salon also helps other professionals in the hair industry. It is the founding place of KurlPro, a two-day academy hosted to teach other stylists how to do hair — especially when it comes to curls.
“We decided to share what we believe in with the rest of the industry,” explains Johnna. “We believe the core of this is that any client should be able to walk in — especially someone with a tighter curl — and get a shampoo and not be turned away. We wanted to give back and show others how to not be afraid of curls.”
As the founding place for KurlPro, Juel Salon teaches other stylists how to care for curly hair.
You will feel welcome and cared for as soon as you enter Juel Salon, and they take great pride in never turning anyone away, no matter the curl or type of hair. “An important thing for us is anyone can walk through our door, and any of our team members can service them — regardless of curls or no curls,” says Nicole.
Juel Salon is located at Liberty Pike, Ste. 130, Franklin, TN 37064. To learn more or book your appointment, call (615) 794-2211 or visit juelsalon.com.
This article is sponsored by Juel Salon. All photography provided.
