Carousel of Beauty

Carousel of Beauty No More, Middletown, Maryland

5th of May, 2011 by User521260

This "full-service salon and spa" fell way short of full service, as a matter of fact they could not even perform simple highlights without turning my hair into an orange, blotchy, frazzled mess. This was after two attempts in one sitting to get my hair right. Ann , the lady performing my highlights admitted it was orange but said I would "get used to it". I don't think so. I paid the $95 fee for my highlights and left almost in tears. Ann also stated by judging by how upset i seemed about my highlights that I should probably not get highlights in the future. I have been getting highlights in my hair as long as I can remember and this has never happened to me. I went home and inspected my hair further only to realize it was much worse than I had anticipated. I was so upset and did not want to have my hair look like this for an upcoming wedding I was to be a bridesmaid in. I didn't even want to go out in public with my hair looking like it did. So I immediately headed to the local CVS to purchase hair dye of my natural color to cover up the atrocity that was my hair. I dyed my hair that evening with okay results. The blotchy highlights were gone, my hair felt much smoother but not all of the orange was out of my hair. I contacted the owner of the salon Carousel of Beauty, Norma, to get the issued resolved. I stated what had happened to my hair and that I had attempted to fix it myself by dying it. She stated that she would have to see my hair to determine whether she would fix my hair or do a refund. Later that day she called and said she would refund my money. This seemed odd considering she hadn't seen my hair yet but I thought it was okay. She told me to come to her business for the refund but when I showed up she said it was too late and "the books were closed". That was the first time I went in for my refund. The second time I went in for a refund Norma was not there and the employee that was there said that only the owner can give refunds. The third attempt to get my refund ended much worse. Prior to going to the salon for the third time I contacted Norma, the owner over the phone to confirm that she was going to give me a refund. She said that she was still giving me my refund and that I should show up at 12:30 p.m. to pick it up. Upon arriving at her business she accused me of being a liar and "a little con artist". She said that she had no intention of giving me my refund but she wanted to lure me in to confront me face to face. She stated that she had contacted ALL of the other salons in the town and stated that I was lying about salons to other salons. WHAT??? She also stated that I had been to salons that I hadn't heard of, let alone visited. The only other salon I visited in that town was Jo Mitchell and I only used that salon once before with decent results. I had actually contacted Jo Mitchell salon to try to fix what Carousel of Beauty failed to do at a higher price. So after being called a liar and a con artist, a lady whom appeared to be a friend of the owner who was sitting behind her took out a disposable camera and snapped a picture of me as if I was a criminal. At that point I became angered and stated all I came her for was my refund that was promised over the phone at which point she yelled at me to "get my a**" out of her store. I was totally blindsided by the treatment I received by the owner. She was very aggressive, and only promised me a refund to lure me in to her store to be confrontational, and the whole time she was slandering me she was pointing at me as if I was a little child. I have never asked for a refund on any kind on work that I have had done on my hair but this salon performed sub par. They really messed my hair up, accused me of things I didn't do , lied to me over the phone, and slandered me in public while taking my picture for no reason. After that, I contacted the owner by phone and stated that I was going to share my bad experience with others. She stated that "you better watch out about what you say about my business" inferring that there might be implications if I decided to speak openly about my experience with her and her salon. I also said that I would handle this as an adult and that I was going to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. She stated that she would sue me if I filed a complaint but I filed one anyway. She also stated that filing a complaint with the BBB was a waste of time and that it never works out in the favor of the consumer. She stated that she knows this from experience. This lady is by far the most person I have ever had to deal with in my life let alone an individual who has a license to conduct business in the state of maryland. I don't want my money back. Apparently she needs the $95.00 more than I do so she can keep it. I just want an apology. No consumer deserves to be treated with such disrespect.

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Comments

4664 days ago by Owner

This will be my last letter! If there is another, I will contact my lawyers. If Ms. Kimbrell and her boyfriend want to go to court, I have no alternative but to get my lawyers involved.

Three of my stylist Ann, Melissa, and Crystal will be writing their views on the last time we encountered Ms. Kimbrell.

The B.B.B. has my previous letters to go by, they were the truth, and I would swear on the Bible that it was the whole truth. I will not apologise to these people; Ms. Kimbrell and her boyfriend. They have shown their true colors. I believe she did not write any of the letters she has sent in. If you reffer to " RipOffReport.com " the real Ms. Kimbrell comes to the surface.

My reputation speaks for it's self. After 14 years in this shop, I have never encountered people of this manner. So rude and disrespectful, and dishonest; it saddens me to see the lack of good character.

As to the miss spelled name that was a typing error that I had corrected and re-sent. I'm not sure if it was recieved in time or not. The bottom line is this all could have been avoided, if Ms. Kimbrell hadn't colored over the highlights, case closed. Now for my three stylists view's on the encounter.

Ann: On Friday May, 06, 2011, I was on the other side of the shop but I could hear Ms. Kimbrell and Norma's conversation. Jamie Kimbrell came into the shop and she stood in front of the desk. She proceeded to talk to Norma; Norma was on the other side of the desk; answering all of her questions. Then Norma stated that because Ms. Kimbrell had colored over her highlighted hair with box color that she could not refund her money or fix what could have been bad and/or wrong. Jamie then became angered and raised her voice yelling " F this " and " F that " and much more. Jamie asked Norma if she believed me, and Norma said yes, she did. She then called me a lying " B ", said I should have been fired. Also that Norma was a " F'ing B " and a bad business women. Then Norma was furious and told her to get her " A " out of her shop; this was the only time Norma swore through out the duration of thier conversation. Jamie's reaction was out of control, and disrespectful. In all my years of business I have never run into such an unrully person. She shouted something at Norma when she was asked to leave. Jamie then slammed the door while she was cursing. She was pacing back and forth in front of the salon, while yelling on her cell phone with whom I believed was her boyfriend. Then a few moments later she barged back into the salon yelling. I became nervous for she was completely out of control, shouting vulgarities left and right. Jamie didn't like that she didn't get her way she continued to yell at Norma. Norma remaind calm and told her again she wouldn't recieve a refund and to please leave her shop before she called the police. I don't know how Norma stayed as clam as she did with the shear direspect she was shown by Jamie. Norma is a honest, professional, caring, an an all around fair business women.

Melissa: My name is Melissa and I am very glad I have a chance to tell my side of the incident, and let you know that Norma Gray is a wonderful business woman and a woman of extreme moral character.

First of all a little history, I have known Norma for 21 years. I started working with her when I was only 19 years old. At first, when i met her I was not exactly sure if I would like her, she was walking around with a pen and paper asking everyone their names. As time went on not only did I like Norma, I really appreciated the woman she is. Norma is a woman who really cares about people, her employee's, customer's, and just people in general. Another thing I like about Norma is she will stand up for the right thing. If Norma see's that someone is being taken advantage of it puts a spark in her to do something or help in anyway she's able. My belief on this incident is the fact that Norma saw an opportunist out of Jamie Kimbrell. One thing you must know is Norma has been in the business for 46 years and has been able to spot a person that could be a problem.

Norma has consulted with me on her thoughts about this subject and was genuinly concerned about Jamie. Not only for our shop but other shops in the area. She was concerned Ms. Kimbrell would stop payment on the credit card that did not even belong to her; we had found this out after she called for a refund. Norma did contact other shops in the area and found out Jamie was trouble there too. Ms. Kimbrell was very happy with her hair when she left, in fact she tipped Ann; the stylist that had done her hair; very well. Jamie also stated that she wished she had came here first according to Ann.

As far as Norma getting me to take a picture as an employee I felt it was the least thing I could do since Norma wanted to have proof that Ms. Kimbrell had already colored her hair. I'm not quite sure how an owner of a salon can fix or offer a refund, when the origianal work is colored over without a consultation. Norma did invite Jamie in because she did not trust her and to gather evidence and get her license, for the simple fact that she had used a card that didn't belong to her. You may find this unethical but I call it, protection for Norma, and her shop due to what we had knowlegde of.

As far as Jamie's experience of feeling like a criminal, I guess maybe she could stretch the truth and say that because we got her license and took two pictures. But I believe this was just good strategy considering the situation.

On the last day Ms. Kimbrell came to the salon she was very uneasy and very forceful in the sense that she did not allow Norma to really have a chance to speak. She cursed alot of the conversation and raised her voice considerably. By this time Norma realized what she was dealing with to the fullest extent. She of course was very argumentative because she realized Norma could not offer her a refund under the terms that the work was colored over. Ms. Kimbrell had at one point lost it and rushed out, to pace back and forth on the phone right out in front of the salon. When Jamie returned her temper had been lost even more. I believe at this pont if Norma would not have said, " Get out of my shop or I will call the police", that situation would have escalated to an unhealthy or possibly dangerous situation.

In closing I hope Ms. Kimbrell considers her actions and takes with her a learning experience on how to control her temper. Also to realize there are people in the world who will stand up for themselves. This is the first time Carousel of Beauty has had an experience like this one. We have never been reported to the B.B.B. for a bad reference, and it is a shame that people like this can slanderize a great reputation in the manner this woman has, not only with the B.B.B. but other websites as well. I felt the need to write this because I truely believe Norma Gray is a great business woman, who went up against a very unique unethical woman. But Norma handled it very well considering Ms. Kimbrell's outragous behavior that day. What a shame this has all been.

Crystal: On Ms. Kimbrell's vist to Carousel of Beauty; the beauty shop I work in; she used an extensive amount of foul language. She was rude and very argumentative. She barely gave Norma an opportunity to talk and explain why she coud not refund her money. Everything she stated about her being well spoken is wrong! I heard the " F " word and the " B " more then I heard her say any polite words. Because once she found out she wasn't receiving a refund, she was everything but polite. I have never seen a client talk the in a manner as she did, and for her to blatantly lie and say she didn't I'm simply shocked at her moral status. She was the rudest client any stylist would ever encounter. I'm surprised Norma kept her composure as long as she did; I personally wouldn't have been able to handle it that well. Norma is a great women and boss; and doesn't deserve the treatment she was forced to endure. I also believe she needs not apologise because she wasn't in the wrong Ms. Kimbrell was. That's all I really have to say about Ms. Kimbrell's vist here on Friday May, 06, 2011.