Posted: 5/14/03

La Grande Salon welcomes hairstyling icon Graham Webb

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

It isnít common for the name on the bottle to visit the salon. Unless, of course, it is Graham Webb, who heads the British hairdressing empire.

ìI always ask has Mr. Loreal been here? Mr. Redken? Did I miss Mr. Mitchell?î

Webb made a visit to La Grande Salon and Day Spa last week, taking time to visit with customers, stylists and owner Cindy Winnick.

While he jokes if his counterparts have been through the doors, Webb said he thinks it is important to visit the salons which carry his products.

ìIf youíre in partnership with them, which you are, why wouldnít you visit?î Webb asked.

Very much the British gentleman, Webb came into the salon with a handful of white roses to hand out to the ladies.

He met with women, aluminum foil crunched to their tresses, or wet hair clipped for cutting, and talked to them as if they looked nothing less than stunning.

ìThereís nobody here more important than the customer,î he said.

With a smile on his face, Graham Webb will say heís in the shower with 10 million women each morning.

Of course, it is the shampooónot the entrepreneurógetting wet and sudsy in showers worldwide.

Webb, while on a visit to the United States, has been visiting on average six salons a day. He said he has wanted to visit La Grande for quite some time. With the move to the new salon in The Plaza, timing was perfect.

ìThere are very few salons Iíve actually got time to visit,î Webb said. ìThis salon had such a big reputation across the United States, itís been a target to come here for quite some time.î

Now that he has seen the salon in action, Webb said he is impressed.

ìNice staff offering really good customer service, very professional,î he said.

Winnick said she appreciated the visit.

ìWe just feel very fortunate that he came to see us, weíre very honored,î she said.

Career choice

Webb, who has been in the business since 1962, said the hairdressing business is a good one, and a solid career choice.

While low end salons and ìSweaty Betty Parloursî tarnish the reputation, others make the profession shine, he said.

ìThis is the antithesis of this,î Webb said. ìIf salons all had this kind of an image the industry would have more recruits.î

He added his is a profession with many opportunities from hair styling to setting up photo shoots to product development.

ìIt is worth taking a look at the very upscale go ahead professional industries like the hair industry,î he said. ìItís just an amazing industry.î

Impact

Webb knows first hand the difference looking good can make for a person.

ìWhen you get your hair cut, and you get good service, it can change your day,î he said. ìLook good, dress up, make up, be up.î

He said every person should think of themselves as a corporation.

The Twin Cities area is familiar grounds for Webb, who remembers his very first hair show in the United States being staged in Minneapolis.

After leaving LaGrande, Webb was off to Wisconsin, and then to salons in other states. In addition to visiting salons throughout the country, Webb said he plans to visit with family in California before returning to England.

Graham Webb is the chairman of Graham Webb International, an ëInvestor in Peopleí company which operates in the £2 billion British hairdressing service industry.

Based in Kent, England, Graham Webb International operates in the United States and Canada. Manufacturing and distribution operations are located in California, Virginia and Minnesota.

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