With all the talent, passion, and creativity that you can imagine, Kristo, the owner of Melrose & McQueen in Atlanta, has managed to create a space where clients can feel comfortable, have fun, and trust that they will come out looking great. The salon’s motto of “the only thing we take seriously is hair,” perfectly sums up the environment at Melrose & McQueen, where stylists are equipped with skills to take on any type of hair and the ability to make you “laugh ’til you throw up.”

Check out our interview with Kristo to hear more about the inspirations and aspirations of this salon, and the community that he has created at Melrose & McQueen!

BANGSTYLE: How long has Melrose & McQueen been around?

Kristo: We opened July 5th, 2011, but the idea of Melrose & McQueen was created in 2009 under a full moon, with werewolves and werebears all harmonizing along with the sweet, subtle nectar that is John Denver.

BANGSTYLE: Can you give us a bit of background on your career– years in the industry, experience, education, etc?

Kristo: I began as an apprentice in 2004.  Rather than do the usual year and a half of school or basic apprenticeship, I committed to 4 solid years of apprenticing/assisting under top-tier stylists. Utilizing my Redken affiliation, I started with Tina Terry Hunt and Alicia Marcano, then worked my way up to Salon Sessions in Pasadena, California.  I worked with Hugo Urias, probably one of the most underrated/unrecognized hair artists of our time.  Through Hugo and Salon Sessions I was able to experience every avenue of the industry- editorial, runway, education, and ownership, all while vastly improving my skill set behind the chair.  Hugo pretty much turned me in to a hair ninja. After exactly 3 years and 51 weeks, I decided it was time to take the leap into my own career and went out on my own.  Over the following years I had opportunities to work with Redken and Pureology, but it just didn’t feel like that was my path. My best education came from the streets, honestly.

BANGSTYLE: How did you decide to open your own salon?

Kristo: That’s easy, one word: FREEDOM.  And another word: SECURITY.  One more word: COMPETITION.  I was with a great company and business mentor, Salon 124.  I found my peak as an artist.  I was always told to remember that “not everyone wants what I want,” but then I thought, “I don’t want what everyone else wants.”  I want to be considered one of the best that ever did it.  I want to go to space.  I want to grow beyond imagination.  I want to lift all those around me, stylists and clients alike.  I will have a positive affect on this world that will give more stylists viable options with their artistry.  The only place I could do this was in my own space.  I knew it would be a challenge, more than I could imagine, but who better to do something that has no clue what they’re doing… than ME!!! I also wanted to incorporate a photo studio into the salon to help nurture artists and their creative spirits.  With a fully functioning photo studio and hair salon, we control our own media output, socially and artistically.

BANGSTYLE: Did you have any challenges with the process? How did you overcome them?

Kristo: YES, yes I did.  I remodeled and built the salon myself: thanks DIY channel.  I’ve never taken a business class in my life, so obviously, I wrote a business plan.  I’ve never had an employee in my life, so I became an owner.  I didn’t know where City Hall was for me to file papers to become a legitimate business, so I Googled City Hall.  To sum it up: I hustled, persevered, and sacrificed everything.  The whole time remembering one great quote: “Fail big, you’ll live.”

BANGSTYLE: Do you have any advice for aspiring salon owners?

Kristo: Don’t do it.  But for those of you who don’t listen to me, DO IT!!!  Make Bob Seger proud.

BANGSTYLE: What is the vibe and décor of the salon?

Kristo: That’s hard to say.  I tried to take a unisex approach to the big things, and fill the voids with interchangeable niche-y things.  I have HUGE rectangle mirrors with no frames, but have custom handcrafted stations with pretty things on them.  Nice enough for women, but enough strong straight lines for the men.  I didn’t want it to look like a bathroom from the Starship Enterprise, but I also didn’t want it to look like pretty-in-pink-bunny-foo-foo-sweet-16-party either.  There’s nothing wrong with that if that’s what YOU want, but that’s not where I feel comfortable creating.

BANGSTYLE: What is on the salon’s playlist?

Kristo: That’s even harder to say.  I use Spotify, so my playlist ranges from Johnny Cash to Rage Against the Machine, from Eazy-E to Krispy Kreme, from The Yardbirds to The Black Keys, and we can’t forget about Diarrhea Planet or Street Lurkin.  To say we play everything is an understatement, and it’s all unedited.  C’mon, were all adults here.  We all know what Snoop Dogg was rollin’ with his gin and juice.

BANGSTYLE: What do you look for in the stylists for the salon?

Kristo: I look for dreamers, hustlers, grinders, artists, innovators, competitors, fearlessness, realists, optimists, confidence, eagerness. Basically, we want 50 Cent with a round brush.

BANGSTYLE: What is Melrose & McQueen known for?

Kristo: Melrose & McQueen is known for its no-nonsense approach to nothing. We have one motto in the salon, “The only thing we take seriously is hair.”  Don’t get me wrong, we’ve worked tirelessly creating and protecting our brand, but we’re not too full of ourselves and our accomplishments to take a step back and do all the little things: build relationships with our guests and the community, laugh a little, laugh a lot, laugh ’til we throw up.  We love our passion, and we want everyone to fully experience that.

BANGSTYLE: What is the clientele like?

Kristo: I made it a point to be flexible in our skill set.  We never turn anyone away.  We do ANY type of hair regardless of age, race, or creed.  This interview may seem like we’re lackadaisical, uninterested, or irresponsible, but that’s the furthest thing from the case.  We worked very hard on creating an inviting, comfortable, relaxing, fun environment so that everyone can feel welcomed when they come in, and smile when they leave.

BANGSTYLE: Do you have any future plans or goals for the salon?

Kristo: Ummm… World domination.  Success is an individual goal and achievement.  Everybody’s is different and their own.  We understand that and support it.  We are a collective of artists that challenge each other on a minute-by-minute basis.  There’s nothing we can’t do as long as we support and lift each other as we grow.  That being said: we want to create salons around the world that artists like ourselves can converge on together.  This may sound a bit too optimistic or hippie-ish, but that’s what innovation is all about.  Imagine what they told the Wright brothers about flying, “Ain’t never gonna happen, weirdo rednecks.”  Listen, there has to be balance in the universe for healthy progression.  We feel as though most stylists don’t see the other side of it, existing only one option in this industry for success, a compromise of artistry for security.  There is an option, though, and we want to share it with the world while also doing freaking amazing hair.  As a collective, we have global aspirations.  We want to go to the moon.  We want to somehow get Chick-Fil-A to stay open on Sundays.  Tell us we can’t and we will.  ”Some say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

Check out Melrose & McQueen‘s BANGSTYLE  profile!