About Dion's South
On entering the inviting four-level sanctuary with gleaming hardwood floors, turn-of-the-century etched-glass room dividers, a baby grand piano, warm faux finishes and elegant decor, new customers invariably exclaim, "Wow! This is so beautiful!" This beauty haven is Dion's South, an upscale hair salon in Historic Downtown Franklin.
"Our clients come in carrying a Starbucks or gift bag from a nearby store, get comfy and then get whisked away for an exceptional experience," says Richard Dion, founder and owner of Dion's South. "Our number-one goal, next to fabulous hair service, is for our clients to have a relaxed and pampered experience."
Richard began his hairstyling career in Los Angeles during the mid-1970s and had the privilege of obtaining an apprenticeship with the leading platform artist for Vidal Sassoon in Beverly Hills, California.
With more than 30 years in the business, Richard owned two successful salons in Los Angeles, but he and his wife Linda decided to leave California and move their family to a more desirable place for raising their children. A friend in Nashville urged them to relocate to Tennessee. When they arrived, they fell in love with the downtown charm of Franklin, and this is where they've been for 15 years.
Richard considers training and education for his staff of utmost importance, as well as having in-depth product knowledge on both Kerastase and Bumble and bumble, Dion's two premier hair-care lines. He has structured his salon to include three different levels of expertise: master, senior and interning stylist. Most recently, his salon manager and a senior stylist spent a week at Bumble and bumble University's Business and Design School in New York City. Richard also leads a cutting workshop on a weekly basis to further train his apprentices, as well as a monthly class for all of the stylists.
As of recent, Richard was voted Nashville TOP Stylist by the Nashville Scene's "Best of 2006." The salon was also voted the TOP Salon. "Since my salon is located in Franklin, the awards were definitely a huge compliment because the magazine tends to focus mostly on Nashville." "There is no doubt," according to Richard, "that God has blessed us more than I could have ever imagined."
