THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 15, 1995 TAG: 9502140126
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: EARNING A LIVING IN VIRGINIA BEACH
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
IT'S A PLACE designed for the younger set - bright walls, coloring books, crayons, trinkets, balloons and lollipops. That's not mentioning all the Barney videos you can stand in one 15-minute haircut.
Cartoon Cuts, a newly opened hair salon in Lynnhaven Mall, caters to a clientele of short folks, offering entertainment through 10 TVs and five VCRs as a way to divert attention away from the scissors in the stylist's hand.
``With the TVs in front of them it keeps their minds off what's happening to them,'' said Pam Corbin, the salon's manager. ``And the majority of the people that work here, 10 out of 13, are mothers, so when it comes to getting on the children's level, that's easy.''
The salon is brightly painted with 10 ``booths'' for stylists. Each booth has a TV set and shared VCR. The red leather chairs are those typically found in a styling salon. However, there are 10 accompanying booster seats ready if needed.
A huge green elephant's head is the Elephant Wash and the trunk is actually the shampoo and rinse hose. Aside from the decor, Cartoon Cuts offers a full range of salon services for children and adults.
There is the family plan, which is $19.95 for an adult and child's haircut, shampoo and blow dry. A shampoo, cut and blow dry for one (child or adult) costs $9.95 during the week and $11.95 on the weekends.
A simple bang, neck, or ear trimming for toddlers and babies costs $4.95. The company also offers a first haircut brochure in which a child's first haircut is recorded with a Polaroid picture accompanied by a lock of hair that's taped to the folder for safe keeping for $3.99.
``We'll cut their hair as early as the parents feel they need it,'' said Corbin, 25. ``We'll even do perms or color depending on the child's maturity and the parents' wishes.''
Coloring starts at $25 and perms at $35.
Most of the stylists at the salon still cater to their former adult customers, too. Most adults venture in for service during the day, when many youngsters are still in school.
``It's really not stressful,'' said Corbin, speaking of the hordes of youngsters that swarmed into the salon on a recent weekend. ``The advantage is that kids just want a cut and they're off. Women, on the other hand, can be real particular.''
The salon tries to make the wait easy. There's a play area where kids are invited to color in coloring books that they can take home. There are blocks to play with, a Sega Genesis, two Game Gears and another computer with games to play.
In addition to the regular offerings, the salon stocks a number of what Corbin calls ``trinkets,'' such as a Lion King shaving kit and Looney Tune items such as pencils and stamps.
The company is privately owned by a Northern Virginia couple, Rick and Kathleen Perkal, and her brother, Dennis Hogan.
The three came up with idea almost four years ago when Perkal was seeking haircuts for her two boys, now 7 and 9.
``I have children and I had no place to take them to get a haircut,'' said Perkal, executive vice president of Cartoon Cuts in Springfield, who is now expecting her third child.
``Basically, I was just a mom with an idea.''
Perkal's idea has grown to include 10 stores in the Washington and Baltimore area. This year, the company plans to open 15 more salons mostly on the East Coast and as far away as Atlanta.
Because Perkal, a housewife, and her husband, a lawyer, didn't have any prior retail or ``hair background'' they hired several professionals, such as Russell Miller, who is the company's acting president and chief executive officer. Perkal's brother, Hogan, has an extensive marketing background and is the company's chief operating officer.
Corbin, the local store's manager, was chosen from a pool of candidates several months ago. She was already managing a salon in Lynnhaven Mall when she was offered the job as manager of Cartoon Cuts.
``Two of my favorite things are kids and cutting hair,'' said Corbin, the mother of 2 1/2-year-old Gavin. ``And this is right up my alley.'' MEMO: Cartoon Cuts is open during regular mall hours: 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Monday to Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The phone number is
631-1100.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by CHARLIE MEADS
LEFT: Jordan Shenton watches a video as Pam Corbin, manager of
Cartoon Cuts at Lynnhaven Mall, does the honors. RIGHT: Allison
Knutsen, 7, is shampooed by stylist Deneen Forsythe.
by CNB