This popular Dayton salon wins big in national competition for doing ‘what’s right’

The owners of a group of a Dayton-based salons have five reasons to celebrate.

Square One Salon and Spa was honored in five of the 11 categories that make up Salon Today's 2018 Salon Today 200 competition.

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The booming business, which has six locations in the Miami Valley and Columbus,  won recognition for philanthropy, culture, compensation, employee benefits and outstanding salon growth.

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The printed edition highlighted the salon's efforts in the growth category, in particular.

The notation reads: 

"Recognizing that millennial men were searching for something new, we opened Square One Men, a 1940s barbershop and shoeshine in downtown Columbus."

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Thousands of salons around the nation compete each year for the honor.

Salon Today aims to recognize and celebrate "the best and brightest salon owners for their managerial and leadership skills," according to its website.

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Two hundred of the nation’s best salons are profiled in the  11 categories.

Credit: Photo: contributed by Brent Johnson

Credit: Photo: contributed by Brent Johnson

THE HISTORY

Brent Johnson and Josh Stucky founded Square One with Doug Henderson in 1999, at 506 E. Third St. in downtown Dayton.

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They say Square One’s culture sets it apart from other salons.

“We want people to enjoy their time at Square One whether they are there as a paying customer or it is their place of work,” Johnson said.

The salon has been recognized by Salon Today, a trade publication, four times in the past. The last recognition came about five years ago.

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Johnson said the recognition is a “big deal,” but it is not why Square One cares for community, customers and employees.

"We do the right thing every day because it the right thing to do," he said.

Besides Stucky, Johnson and Henderson, Square One is owned by Alan Leonard, Misty WellsCanaan GoodAngela Mehaffie and Lori Davis.

Square One has nearly 200 employees in six salons, including the original downtown Dayton location, where Johnson and Stucky say business is booming.

The other stores are located at 5485 New Albany Road W. in  New Albany; 1132 Brown St. near the University of Dayton; 1 N. Main St. in Centerville; 1030 Miamisburg Centerville Road in Washington Twp., Montgomery County and 275 S. Fourth St. in Columbus.

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