Society Hairstylist Cerón Opens Dallas Salon
Cerón's high-profile clientele ranges from the couture-clad Becca Cason Thrash to the demure former First Lady, Laura Bush.
By Holly Haber Plus Icon
Holly Haber
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December 29, 2009, 12:01am
Cerón, the Houston hairstylist whose high-profile clientele ranges from the couture-clad Becca Cason Thrash to the demure former First Lady Laura Bush, has opened a salon in Dallas on the sixth floor of Neiman Marcus' flagship and headquarters.
Cerón, who doesn't use his first name, Gonzalo, is a native of Mexico City known for his wit, charm and messy upswept hairstyles.
"He's a great artist-celebrity and we have a perfect spot for him," said Neva Hall, executive vice president of stores at Neiman Marcus.
The space has been vacant since the Richard Hayler salon shut down in December 2007.
The move is part of a strategy to develop 15 Cerón salons "in top hotels in the world or at least in the U.S.," said Gina Betts, a Dallas attorney and one of several partners in CG Salon LLC. Betts, who works downtown and is courting area business executives with a 7 a.m. opening hour, expects the new salon, which was opened Nov. 25, will reap $1.5 million in sales during its first year.
Plans are also afoot to develop a hair products line or buy an existing company, she added.
The company operates two Cerón salons in Houston, at Uptown Park center and in the Omni Houston Hotel, and is in the process of putting Cerón's moniker on the Jose Eber Salon at the Four Seasons hotel in Carlsbad, Calif., Betts noted.
She and her partners originally backed Eber at the Four Seasons salon, which opened in 1998, and Uptown Park, which opened in 2005, and now own them. Cerón is also a partner.
Betts declined to discuss revenues, but noted sales are substantial enough to justify expansion. Prices at the Dallas location will be similar to the Houston salon, where a cut or color starts at $125.
Situated next to the Zodiac restaurant, the 3,000-square-foot hair salon will also sell Darphin products and have three rooms for massage and Darphin skin treatments, Betts added.
It's the first time Darphin will be sold at Neiman's since the brand exited the chain in June. Darphin's only other outlet in Dallas is the Face Place.
Cerón plans to be in the salon two days a week and has trained two stylists to run the show without him.
"I can be here in an hour and a half, literally," he said. "And the Houston and Dallas social schedules are so different."
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