Health & Beauty > Brooklyn Attitude In Upstate New York

By: Emma Yepsen | July 2010 Saratoga.com

For those of you who don’t know, a little bit of down-state flavor was brought up-state when Glenn and Mary Ann Guerriero moved to Saratoga, and brought Brooklyn Attitude with them, opening the salon in 2003. They are not just hair stylists; they are creators of their profession. They are unique in their style, attitude and talent. All you have to do to know that is look in their salon on Ballston Avenue in Saratoga Springs. If these walls could talk, they would have a lot to say.

Awards, photographs, certificates, magazine covers and articles are all proudly displayed showing the road the Guerriero’s h ave traveled to get to where they are today.

An Award-Winning Salon

Brooklyn Attitude has been recognized for being a top salon both locally and nationally. In 2010, the Saratogian’s People’s Choice ranked them “Best Hair Salon” of the year; they were ranked in the top 100 salons in the country by “Salon City” 3 years in a row (the first New York salon outside of New York City to be recognized in the top 100 list). Being recognized nationally and having clients who travel to get their hair cut at Brooklyn Attitude are their proudest moments of the Guerriero’s career, as they should be.

Offering A Helping Hand

Glenn’s goals are to be “leaders in the profession and proactive in the community.” Brooklyn Attitude has worked with many non-profits in the area, including Adirondack Save-A-Stray, Women’s Shelters of Saratoga, and SPAC. They have even sponsored fund raisers for Hurricane Katrina and donated clean cut hair for the Gulf Oil Spill. Glenn finds it important to bring both professionalism and a consumer aspect to their business. Glenn is even trying to get a state legislation passed to create a training program, which will produce local jobs in the salon industry.

The Rich & Famous

Another top goal is to bring a national “buzz” to Saratoga. They have had a good start in “putting Saratoga on the map for hair,” and they continue to travel around the country working with top stylists, proudly stating that they are from Saratoga Springs.

They have been asked to work with over 150 bands all over the world and have worked with many celebrity clients, including Motley Crew and Godsmack at SPAC for Crue Fest. They were even just asked to do a show with Eminem, Blink 182 and Kiss.

“People ask us ‘why travel?’ It is to create a buzz and bring back the buzz, attention, and ideas to the area. We want to brand Saratoga along with the salon,” Glenn said.

 They have trained with top stylists in the world, and have learned from them taking their philosophies and techniques, then making them their own. “You have to take a chance and challenge yourself. Step outside the box,” Glenn said.

Recipe For Success

They appreciate the power of branding and creating a niche. Being unique and having a different approach than other salons is important to the Guerriero’s. “I was told, ‘Fads fade, so don’t become a cookie cutter,” Glenn said, and they live true to this advice.

Even in the midst of her career, Mary Ann continues her certifications and to set goals for herself. She recently became certified in permanent make-up, and is the only stylist in the 518 area-code to be certified to do Cinderella hair extensions. She is committed to the profession. They have a consultation before they meet with every client, looking at their face, eyes, skin tone and lifestyle all to determine a look a personalize the cut. Mary Ann says her secret is all about the technique and her hair cuts last months because of it.

What’s Next?

So what does the future hold for Brooklyn Attitude? Just continue to do what they do best and remain leaders in their community. There was talk of a Brooklyn Attitude product line, as well!

“We are more than just a salon. We create stories, and work with other people and other groups.” Brooklyn Attitude is full of energy, it is like a home, and that is how they want people to feel when they walk in. “You never know who is going to walk through your door,” Glenn said, “You never know what tomorrow will bring.”

Learn More:

Brooklyn Attitude Hair & Body
135 Ballston Avenue
Saratoga Springs NY 12866
(518) 580-0016

(Our First Article) Spa City Makes Way For Brooklyn Attitude
By Jerome Burdi The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS – A Brooklyn Attitude is outgoing, funny, confident – and in the Spa City, it includes scissors and a blow-dryer.

The owners of Brooklyn Attitude Hair and Body, a salon that opened Tuesday July 1, 2003 (Have moved to a new location a few doors down from TAFT Furniture: 135 Ballston Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY) are ready to transport customers to the land where pizza is a major food group and Italian ice is scooped by the gallon.

The salon’s service station mirrors are attached to steel subway beam replicas, and a mural of the Statue of Liberty is bolted into brick-textured wallpaper. The mural is flanked by a 9-foot-by-8foot mural of a 1948 Brooklyn Bridge, and a 10-foot-by8-foot mural of 1951 Coney Island. A tin garbage can sits below the salon’s name spelled in letters designed to look like those of a subway station.

Glenn and MaryAnn Guerriero owners of the salon, moved to the Spa City from Brooklyn eight years ago and have a customer base as hair stylists. They said their vision for the salon is to make its services as multi-cultural as its namesake: Fades, flattops and extensions are available there.

"MaryAnn and Glenn have a following that’s incredible," said Renee Grandin, one of MaryAnn’s clients. "She’s so good. She knows what looks good on people, what style and color."

MaryAnn explained her motivation. "I thrive on this," she said. "I just don’t come to work, this is part of me." Looking at Grandin as she sat in the stylist’s chair, MaryAnn said, "When she leaves here, her hair will look good wet. And if it looks good wet, it looks good dry."

The first day of business at the salon was met with a steady flow of customers. "Where else can you go to in 5 minutes and see the Statue of Liberty, Coney Island and the Brooklyn Bridge?" Glenn said.

Men’s haircuts cost $15 and up and women’s cost $25 and up. Manicures, pedicures and waxing are also offered.

"It’s an experience, "Glenn said of the salon, standing between a portrait of Marilyn Monroe in a subway station, and a Carlo Gambino clock.