The founders of the new Fourteenjay salon know from experience that a well-informed client is a happy client. “Your first consultation here is away from the chair,” insists David Adams (at right, below), one of the three partners. “Think about doctors: They don’t just start in on you. You go to their office and talk about it first. We want to sit with you and explain the options, including how long each will take and what it costs. And then we’ll discuss the upkeep and the cost of the upkeep. You wouldn’t believe how common it is for people to have no idea what they’re paying at a salon until they’re about to leave.”

“We’ve been friends and colleagues for 20 years,” adds Virginia Meyer (center), another partner. “And we all grew up in the Aveda brand.” Meyer was the vice president of education for Aveda, while Adams was the company’s creative director with a special expertise in color; together, they also founded RedChocolate, a consultancy for middle-to-high-end salons. (She handles coaching and development; he works with stylists.) The third Fourteenjay partner is Frank Rizzieri (above left), a stylist with whom Adams and Meyer often worked on Aveda shoots, and whose family has salons and a school in New Jersey. Any salon is only as good as the people who work there, and Rizzieri says there’s reason to have faith in Fourteenjay: “We’ve trained our stylists ourselves, whether it’s at RedChocolate, Aveda, or my school.”

The partners had spent two years looking all over Manhattan for a possible location when Rizzieri, a Duane Street resident for 15 years now, noticed that the Rheanne White salon was available. The space was in great shape, but as creative types, they naturally had a few ideas for improvement. They got rid of the front desk, for one thing, and they changed the floor and lighting so that clients can see the true color of their hair. Because while cuts, treatments, and blowouts are obviously available, color is a main focus of the 10-chair salon.

“Beautiful color begins with healthy hair” is the Fourteenjay motto, which you’ll soon see written in neon above the shelf of Aveda products. “A lot of people with hair issues actually have scalp issues, which don’t always get addressed,” says Adams, whipping out a gizmo to take an extreme close-up of my scalp, in order to check follicle health, dryness, and so forth. (I’ll spare you the diagnosis.) Fourteenjay will soon add a private area to address thinning hair, both cosmetically and therapeutically; it’s a problem many people face as they mature.

The salon is hosting an open house for the neighbors on Friday, April 8, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and you’re invited. (RSVP to mglass@fourteenjay.com.) Perhaps the festive atmosphere will inspire the partners to spill the details about their interesting future plans for the lower level….

FourteenJay is at 14 Jay (between Staple and Greenwich), 646-869-5970; fourteenjay.com.

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