I came here on two separate days for two separate services. It seems like this salon offers quite a…read morefew services: coloring, male/female/children hair cuts, fancy up-dos, highlights/lowlights, massages, facial waxing, manicures, shellac manicures, pedicures, french manicures, and more.
Studio 17 is interesting because it almost seems like a collective of a bunch of different professionals who happen to own the studio together. It's not a bad thing - it's kinda neat. But each "station" has a personal feel to it since it's one person's station, and each person decorates their own station how they want (unlike chain salons where each booth is shared by all of the staff). When you go to pay, you pay your salon professional individually - and if you use a card, you'll pay via the Square service on that professional's cell phone. So yeah, it seems like each person just happens to share the studio space. I love small businesses like that!
The massage was quite enjoyable. I scheduled the appointment, and they managed to get me in same-day. You walk through the back-room (which is a storage area, possibly under construction, and not so pretty), but there's a small room in the back of the back room that's perfectly outfitted for massage. It has gentle music, a nice smell, gentle lighting, a warm temperature, perfect decorations, and everything. Honestly, I can't imagine a better massage space. It's far enough away from the studio and everything that you can't hear any noise aside from the music that's playing.
The massage itself was great. It was my first massage, so I didn't do exactly what I was supposed to, but instead of mentioning it or asking me to change it, the massage therapist just pulled out an extra blanket from a corner and fixed the problem. I, of course, asked if I did something wrong to know for next time, and she was very friendly about letting me know. It's nice to know that she would go out of her way to make sure I was so relaxed and wasn't worried that I did something wrong. Very great massage, and I checked the time, and she even ran about 5 minutes over what I paid for. Great rates too. You can get an hour and a half for VERY reasonable rates.
I liked my massage so much that I booked an appointment to get my tips dyed purple. It was more difficult to get a hair appointment, but they fit me in on one of my two choice days the next week. I went in for the appointment, and I was promptly taken in. The stylist was polite and not-too-chatty. She asked a rather personal question, but I don't think it was asked with rude intent. She did a fantastic job with my hair, and honestly, it looks stunning. I'm not sure how long the purple is going to last, but she did a great job following my requests, the purple is very vibrant, and she was gentle with my long hair too - even after it got knotted from the blow dry. Considering it took about two hours (mostly of me sitting and waiting for color to set, but I brought a book), the fee was completely reasonable. Once the color starts to fade, I'll be back in to see her to get it recolored. Maybe pink this time. (They offer a HUGE selection of awesome colors including natural colors if you want)
The salon itself is well put together. It looks professional, and while it's obvious they could benefit from a bit more floor space, they make it work for them. It's comfortable, looks professional, and everyone there is friendly.
My only complaint is they don't have a website. They have a Facebook that's semi-active, but seeing all their prices/services would be nice at a glance. They offer brochures in-store that you can see, or you can always call, but a website would be awesome.
Final Thoughts: Great small business. If you find a favorite stylist, it seems pretty easy to book appointments only through them. They do a great job with good quality, and judging by the regulars that were in there, lots of Oelwein residents love this place. I'll definitely be back, and I love supporting a small business that's definitely producing awesome results at very affordable prices.
