Since opening in 1993, the Rainbow Room International salon in Royal Exchange Square has gone from strength to strength. It started as a base for the RRI Academy and, since, has expanded from a hair salon to a hair and beauty salon. This Rainbow Room is also home to Glasgow’s first-day spa and floatarium. Impressive.
The salon was the second salon to open within the RRI group and is an iconic salon in Glasgow. The salon is in a Grade II listed Victorian building in the historic Royal Exchange Square…definitely something to see.
Rainbow Room International Royal Exchange Square salon history and achievements
Some of Scotland’s top hairdressing talents have trained within the Royal Exchange Square salon. We pay respect to directors of the Great Western Road Salon, John and Jo Parker, and Director of the Crow Road Salon, Julie-Anne Donaldson, who each started their journey at the salon.
We hear the salon team are homegrown and have started as apprentices, working their way up the ladder, with some of the team having been at the salon for 20 years…wow. In the last 30 years, the Royal Exchange Square salon has been on an impressive journey. Highlights include winning Salon of the Year at the British Hairdressing Awards. The team have produced many Christmas singles for charity, raising £27,000. For this feat, the group featured on STV2’s Live at Five.
The team have worked at Scotland’s hottest events, including T in the Park, TRNSMT, and the Scottish BAFTAs. Other highlights include the salon refurb in 2018. The Royal Exchange Square salon was the first in the salon group to have the whole team hit yearly bonuses at the annual Congress, showing their growth and commitment to clients.
Ahead of the game
Alongside the first Rainbow Room International salon in Buchanan Street, the Royal Exchange Square salon was the first to provide Shiatsu massage to their clients in Glasgow. This resulted in many other Glasgow salons offering the treatment to clients. Salon team members control their columns through apps on their phones, choosing the days and hours that they work, having higher morale and a better work-life balance.
The team provides Zoom Consultations to their clients, allowing clients to spend less time traveling and have their consultations in the comfort of their own home. David, the salon director, has recently launched the Rainbow Room International Young Artistic Team, giving young team members a chance to shine. The artistic team shows the company’s creative side and allows team members to grow and push boundaries.
David Nicolson
David Nicolson, director of the Royal Exchange Square salon, says, “What a journey we have been on over the past 30 years. We have so many memorable moments and highlights and some hiccups too. I remember back to the early days when we first opened the salon having to bring in the furniture through the windows and a wall falling and nearly demolishing the whole salon. But we’re still here. We have grown, evolved, embraced change and are still many clients’ salon of choice within the Glasgow area. I can’t wait to see what the next 30 years brings.”
For more of the latest industry news click here
Respect is a hub for UK hairdressers of all ages and stages to find out what We Love, We Hear and We See as the best product launches, styling advice, hairtools, education training and seminars and hairshows! Sign up to our newsletter which is sent fortnightly direct to your email, so you stay up-to-date with salon styling information, trends in session work, advice on presenting on stage or progress in educating – whatever your interest, whether you’re a trainee or creative director, an educator or team leader, you’ll find all the opportunities and ideas on www.respectyou.me
We love hairdressing; we see and we hear how you can become the best hairdresser, colourist and salon owner possible. Contact us if you’d like to know more about us. If it’s worth talking about, you’ll read it here.
