September Sirico, whose family owns Greg and Tony’s, is no stranger to the salon business. Now she’s revolutionizing the industry with Dry, a salon devoted to blowouts, in Southport. Sirico says she wants to make blowouts a more affordable and convenient luxury. We asked her a few questions…
How did you get into this business? "My family business is Greg and Tony’s. I grew up around the business—Greg and Tony’s has been in Westport since ’77, and I was born in ’76. I never worked there when I was in high school; I was always encouraged to work for other businesses, so I did that up until 2003 when I started to work at Greg and Tony’s in a management roll. I took on more responsibilities there as time went on—I grew the brand and fostered a relationship with Blow, the New York blow dry bar. Eventually, after learning a little more about the blow dry bar business and Blow’s product line, I decided I wanted to open a blow dry bar here in Fairfield County. Blow dry bars are popping up all over New York City and LA, but Dry is the area’s first blow dry bar that’s not inside a salon. I’m also a hair dresser and licensed cosmetologist in Connecticut, so I’m familiar with both the business and the creative side of the industry."
So what exactly is a blow dry bar? "The idea of a blow dry bar is convenience and affordability. It’s like the new manicure—there when you need it or when you want to treat yourself. There’s a whole new market for blowouts. It’s really similar to how the manicuring business left the salon and became its own entity, making manicures more affordable and opening that possibility up to people who would have never gotten a manicure before."
What do you do at Dry? "The majority of our services are blowouts and we offer those for one set price. Blowouts are $35 across the board, whether you have a bob or hair that’s halfway down your back. We also have a la carte options for an additional price. These include flat ironwork, up-dos, half ups, braids, extensions, brow shaping, bridal services, and eyelash extensions. We do an at-home service for special events, bridal parties or new mothers called Blow on the Go."
Why did you decide on a location in Southport? "We looked in Westport and Fairfield and the location in Southport was really central. Our clientele is in Westport and Fairfield and we didn’t want to go to the opposite end of either town. The Southport location is super-convenient—right off 95, right next to the train station and it has Post Road visibility, which is huge. Another reason I picked Southport is because it’s young, it’s alive, there are a lot of great restaurants—it’s definitely a very hot spot right now. A blow dry bar is great for this area because women around here have a lot on their plates, but still want to look great. Everyone looks and feels better with a professional blow out."
What are some hair trends right now? For high school- and college-aged girls braids are very hot right now. There are a ton of braids on celebrities, the runways and the red carpet. Braids are usually a pretty casual look. For women in their late 20s and up the look of the moment is smooth with body. It’s a look that’s classic and polished, but still sexy—an everyday blowout. For more of an evening look, she can go bigger with more volume and a little wave—sort of a beach-y look.
To learn more about Dry, A Blow Dry Bar and for a complete list of offerings and prices, please visit dryblowdrybar.com.
Dry, A Blow Dry Bar
3397 Post Road in Southport, Connecticut
