tv appearance

awards video

press release

dk hair quick hits

The history.

In September 2003, David Valencia and Kenneth Bradshaw opened the doors of dk hair at 3739a 6th Avenue in San Diego, CA.
In 2007 dk hair doubles it size by moving a few storefronts down on bustling 6th Avenue.

The differentiators.

Quality without attitude/pretense: dk provides an edgy, artistic environment where individual expression is encouraged.
The complete customer experience: from cutting to coloring to the spa services, dk hair understands its clients' needs, and offers above and beyond services.
Taking it back home: Nearly 70% of dk hair clients feel their stylist/colorist educates them on the correct way to re-create their style at home.
Ahead of trends: All team members stay current through extensive education (including Bumble & bumble University in New York City).

The players.

The "d" is for David Valencia, the "k" is for Kenneth Bradshaw, co-owners of the salon. Between them they have more than 20 years of styling experience.

The accolades.

2005: named a B&b Elite Hair Salon, signifying its ability to carry the full B&b treatment line—an honor given to less than 1% of all salons in the nation.
2008: deemed "Best Salon" in San Diego by a special reader's poll sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Times.
For the last three years, selected by Salon Today as one of the 200 fastest growing salons in the nation.
Earned a spot on San Diego's Channel 10 A-List for 2009 and 2010.

What's hot.

dk hair will be part of the first-ever Bumble and bumble national advertising campaign, scheduled to hit major national magazines in May 2011.
The ad makes a point to include all locations in which Bumble and bumble products are available and directs readers to find dk hair via BbSalonsNearYou.com, a dedicated website where potential clients can search the Bb.Network of salons by zip code. Almost 20 million consumers will be exposed to this call-out.
The campaign will appear in May and June issues of Vanity Fair, Allure, Elle, InStyle, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, New York Magazine, Nylon, Paper and V Magazine. A digital advertising campaign will also take place in support of Bb.Texture in May/June.

"We've created a personal resource center for the urban, working woman who wants to come in, get everything done and get out."
—Ken Bradshaw, co-owner of dk hair

press release

Bumble and bumble Unveils New National Campaign

dk hair, the first ever Bumble and bumble shop, will take part in another first as Bb. texture kicks off its debut national advertising campaign this spring. The ads are scheduled to hit major national magazines in May 2011.

The ad makes a point to include all locations in which Bumble and bumble products are available and directs readers to find dk hair via BbSalonsNearYou.com, a dedicated website where potential clients can search the Bb.Network of salons by zip code. Almost 20 million consumers will be exposed to this call-out.

As a Bumble and bumble partner salon, dk hair shares in the Bb. ideals of cutting, color and styling. Elements of that philosophy include always elevating the craft, revering authenticity and creativity, and building deeper relationships. As a Bb. salon, we share in the idea that there's always more to learn, and always more ways to serve our clients at the highest level.

The campaign will appear in May and June issues of Vanity Fair, Allure, Elle, InStyle, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, New York Magazine, Nylon, Paper and V Magazine. A digital advertising campaign will also take place in support of Bb.Texture in May/June.

Learn more about the campaign at the Bumble and bumble website.

article

Auction draws community support for San Diego infants with genetic diseases

Recent legislation will increase genetic testing on newborns and save lives

San Diego, Calif., 24 April 2008 –- On behalf of local partners, businesses and clients, dk hair presented the Lund family of Bonita, Calif. with over $1300 collected from the salon’s BackStage Pass and Silent Auction on 26 March. The proceeds will directly support 9-month old Gavin who suffers from a genetic disease that is slowly paralyzing his central nervous system. The auction was held to raise awareness for unscreened genetic diseases such as Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome and Krabbe Disease which have affected two San Diego families. In addition to the Lunds, a client of the salon recently lost their 8-month old infant to Krabbe Disease. The silent auction was held during the salon’s BackStage Pass event which launched the salon’s collection of spring and summer hair styles.

About genetic diseases
Grouped as Infantile Leukodystrophy, diseases such Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome (AGS) and Krabbe are genetic and progressively disrupt the central nervous system by slowing down the speed at which electrical impulses can be sent throughout the body. The result is deterioration of physical and cognitive functioning and finally death (www.ulf.org). Prenatal and newborn screening can aid in treatment and quality of life. On 8 April 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act Bill (S.1858/H.R. 3825, www.huntershope.org) which mandates that each state expand newborn screening. New York is the only state to screen for Krabbe Disease.

About the company
Located in Hillcrest, dk hair is an active supporter of local organizations such as Mama’s Kitchen, The Center, Elderhelp and others. On 26 March, co-owners David Valencia and Kenneth Bradshaw sponsored a BackStage Pass and Silent Auction to raise awareness for unscreened genetic diseases which have affected two San Diego infants. Contributions to the auction were generously received from local partners including Bumble and bumble, TRUE Cosmetics, MacCase, La Martina, Lexine Schroeder, 10 News (KGTV-TV) San Diego, Carola Eastwood, Sarah Angler, True Religion Jeans, Lovi Love Designs, Fred’s Mexican Café, Island’s Burgers and Goldie Rocks.

dk hair is located in a unique and contemporary suburb of the City of San Diego where music, art, clothing, food and lifestyle trends evolve and move the city. In 2005, dk hair was named a B&b Elite Hair Salon, signifying its ability to carry the full B&b treatment line - a rite given to less than 1% of all salons in the nation. And, in 2007, dk hair was selected by Salon Today as one of the 200th fastest growing salons in the nation. Today, dk hair continues to evolve, providing its clients with the latest color, styles and skin & body treatments within an edgy, artistic environment where individual expression is encouraged.

# # #

Additional Information and photos of the beneficiary, the event and new summer collection of cuts and styles can be found at www.dkhair.com or by contacting the salon at 619.546.4550 or info@dkhair.net.

article

Best of Gay San Diego: Gay & Lesbian Times readers' picks

Best Salon
DK Hair
3785 Sixth Ave 100a
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 546-4550

David Valencia and Ken Bradshaw opened DK Hair with the goal of raising the bar in the hair industry. Their intention is to make a difference in the salon world by specializing in hair care and foregoing other salon services. This focused approach allows creative freedom and flexibility when striving to meet each client’s hair goals. At DK Hair, the focus is always on the results that their clients seek. With a combination of Aveda, Toni and Guy, Sassoon and Andrew Collinge experience, plus twenty years of working in the field, the duo easily offer the best hair care services available. DK Hair offers every possible cut, color and style and the time and expertise to make magic with your hair.

article

Beauty – September 2007
Urban Hair and Beauty Celebrated at dk hair A conversation with Ken Bradshaw
by Sydney Murray…

Envisioning a culture at the forefront of hairdressing by developing synergistic relationships, and providing an urban lifestyle resource. - dk hair’s Mission Statement

Let me tell you–what a difference a haircut makes. It literally takes years off of your appearance. I had been going to the same hairdresser for nine years and although not a real fashionista, I do clean up nicely. That being said, I have had to depend on the expertise of my hairdresser. My old hairdresser was fine, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that he wasn’t up on the latest trends. Hence my hair was mostly the same for…well, let’s just say it–for far too long.

Enter dk hair, a wonderful salon in Hillcrest. I had the combined expertise of Andres Medina and Ken Bradshaw (Bradshaw is a co-owner of dk hair). Medina colored and Bradshaw styled my hair respectively. I told them to do whatever they thought would work. Then I exclaimed, “Cut the mop off!” I now have hair that fits me and my personality. Most importantly, it has entered the realm of fashionable. Paired with their great products, I am reborn. In the first few weeks with my new “do,” I had a couple of friends who commented almost every time they saw me. One, “I love those highlights,” and the other, “That is such a great cut.” Both of them have great taste so I took their compliments to heart.

Now that we know dk hair does a great job styling and coloring hair, there is the other important fact. It is that they are a great company with a wonderful atmosphere. They are a close-knit staff and the salon itself has a chic ambience. This is partly because owners Ken Bradshaw and David Valencia pay salaries as opposed to hiring out chairs.

Recently I chatted with Bradshaw who said, “We pay better than anybody else in the community. We’re commission-based, not booth rental [oriented] because we want to create a culture. The whole reason we opened the business was to create an environment that was cool for both clients and staff.”

I can attest to this firsthand. Their commitment to excellence translates into a really diverse clientele. I watched a hip young ‘tween’ with his Mom, both getting their hair done––and done well. I commented, “I’m surprised by the fact you have a number of teenage boys. How did you get them to come in?”

Bradshaw smiled and said, “Their moms. We have a lot of women who come in from Rancho Santa Fe and La Jolla and Mom will pay for their haircut. Our clientele is diverse, from a 70-year-old upper-class woman to your basic16-year-old. Sometimes we’ll work with the whole family.”

dk hair opened its doors on September 5th, 2003. Since then, they have tripled in size and have garnered tremendous support form the community. Bradshaw attributed this success to a carefully selected staff.

He comments, “In November and December, we were fully booked and we couldn’t take more people. The last year was full of growing pains. We doubled in revenue, we doubled in size and we Vision Magazine – Beauty, dk Hair Page 1 of 2 http://www.visionmagazine.com/beauty.html 9/25/2007 © 2007 Vision Magazine. All Rights Reserved wondered––what could we do?”

To celebrate their growth after only four years in business, they are moving down the street to a really urban chic space and are in the process of transforming this former garage into their new home. dk hair is going beyond mere beauty and focusing on well-being by adding an array of holistic treatments designed for the busy professional who needs to fit hair and body treatments into their full life.

“Its an urban spa with urban professional woman saying, ‘I want to come in and get a facial and not worry about the kids,’ says Bradshaw. ‘So we’ve designed the menu around the women and men that need results and who need them within a time frame. We have a facial called the ‘Urban Professional,’ which is an hour facial. We also have a 15-minute eye lift. You’re having a haircut and your makeup done, you’ve been working all day, you’ve got a party to go to. Add a face or hand treatment and boom you’re ready for your party.”

“We [also] want to hold an element of a lifestyle resource center,” he continues. “We want to be able to create resources and services for people who don’t have the time to go look for them. It’s one of the reasons why we never want to be a big spa. The great thing is to get people in because we have the resources for them, saying, ‘Look, this [person] is great with facials and waxing; this person is great with massage. If you prefer something gentle, this person is better for you.’ You fit the clients with the right people and service. It’s all about connecting with that person.”

Bradshaw and dk hair co-owner David Valencia have worked together for the last six years and have known each other for a decade. Their sense of a common vision was what allowed them to combine resources and talents to create dk hair.

“Since we weren’t getting our needs met elsewhere, we thought we would do this ourselves,” Bradshaw explains. “So we got together, put our ideas down on paper and everything came back to being urban, with great work and a prominence in the community. Whenever we have a challenge, we go back to our original notes.”

“If you don’t have unity within the management, it shows,” he adds. “We’re focused on going on the same journey together. We’ve already got testimonials with 10-star ratings on our services. People say, ‘It’s a great place! It’s like a little community within the community.’ It’s nice to hear that from your clients. It’s a great confirmation––and I love that.”

If you want to be transformed, please don’t hesitate a moment longer. Life is too short not to have a great haircut. And I promise you that dk hair will deliver. dk hair is at 3739 6th Ave. in San Diego, 619.546.4550 or visit their website at www.dkhair.net.

release

dk hair expands line of services in new Hillcrest location - Submitted to Hillcrest Business Improvement Association July 2007

Located in the trendy Hillcrest neighborhood, dk hair specializes in providing clients with the latest color and hair styles within an edgy, artistic environment that exudes an unmistakable level of creativity. Co-owners David Valencia and Kenneth Bradshaw have honed their craft, receiving numerous accolades throughout their combined 30 years. Now, with a host of awards coupled with both an unparalleled education and training program for its staff and a newly acquired facility, dk hair is at the forefront of hairstyling.

In September 2003, Valencia and Bradshaw brought their vision of a salon to reality by opening dk hair, their first salon in Hillcrest located at 3739 Sixth Avenue. Enveloping quality and progressive services, the salon tailored its offerings to the needs of each client, utilizing only top-of-the-line hair products while encouraging its staff to embrace creativity at all stages. In its first year of business, the salon was voted Best Salon by the Gay & Lesbian Times. It has since been recognized by 944 Magazine, San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, Hillcrest News, Vision Magazine, San Diego CityBeat, and several news stations including KUSI and KNSD.

The salon's accelerated success is attributable to many factors but the common thread is its commitment to its craft. Valencia and Bradshaw, for instance, have acquired exceptional experience by such industry leaders as Vidal Sassoon and Toni & Guy. Accordingly, they have instilled a strong education and training program for all team members so that they too can become the best provider of hair services. This path begins with all licensed stylists entering an assistantship program where they specialize in either cutting or coloring and participate in on-going education opportunities. In addition, stylists and colorists are encouraged to attend Bumble and bumble (B&b) and L'Oreal seminars and events to increase their knowledge and use of the salon's own styling and color products. In 2005, dk hair was named a B&b Elite Hair Salon, signifying its ability to carry the full B&b treatment line, which is a rite given to less than 1% of all salons in the nation. Recognized by readers of Salon Today who represent over 20,000 top-producing salons around the country, dk hair was selected in early 2007 as one of the 200 fastest growing salons in North America, and the only salon named within San Diego.

True to its calling, the salon has continued to evolve and in the fall of 2007, Valencia and Bradshaw announced the relocation of dk hair to a larger facility located at 3785 Sixth Avenue, Ste 100 in Hillcrest. With over 200% more space, the new salon remains urban and edgy while providing clients with expanded services. Workstations are aligned for an unprecedented twenty-two haircutters and colorists. In addition, two private rooms have been added to accommodate a dedicated line of massage and facial services. In addition, a new collection of haircuts, color, and makeup choices are available which showcase strong architectural lines and juxtaposed colors ranging from nature's soft pastels to bold yet clinical metallics.

DK hair's new salon evokes a sense of industrialism wrapped in a cool, earthy blanket. A navy blue high ceiling with exposed beams and air ducts contrast finished walls painted in muted earth tones. Rustic concrete floors on the lower level are juxtaposed with classical wood floors on the upper level. Workstations, anchored by freestanding extra large mirrors reminiscent of artist's easels, enable stylists to focus on the entire client while a center-located color bar creates a completely transparent and intimate setting for color processing.

The elevated feel of the new salon and its natural synergistic environment prioritized on building and maintaining relationships makes dk hair more than a salon. From info-sharing on the latest happenings, hippest eateries, places to shop and people to meet to the hottest colors, cuts and skin treatments, dk hair adopts the needs of its clients as its own. It's an ‘urbanesse' experience felt no where else but at dk hair in Hillcrest.

press release

San Diego-based salon recognized as one of the fastest growing in the nation Salon Today magazine puts DK Hair in the top 200 San Diego, Calif., 17 March 2007 -- DK Hair has been selected by Salon Today magazine as one of the 200 fastest growing salons in North America. As the only salon named in San Diego, DK Hair has been recognized for its annual growth, client retention and customer service practices. The 200 salons selected were from applications submitted by Salon Today readers who represent 20,000 top-producing salons in the United States.

"The tenth annual issue of the Salon Today 200 continues the tradition of featuring salons with excellent customer service, client retention and growth strategies," said Laurel Smoke, editor-in-chief of Salon Today. "Salon Today 200 owners keep their businesses competitive in a tough market while continuing to provide top education for their employees and the best services to their clients."

DK Hair will expand its service capacity this fall by relocating to a larger, local facility. Offering 200% more space, the new location will remain urban and edgy while offering clients expanded services and a new collection of haircuts, color, and makeup choices. The collection will showcase strong architectural lines and juxtaposed colors ranging from nature’s soft pastels to bold yet clinical metallics. about the company

Located in trendy Hillcrest, dk hair specializes in providing clients with the latest color and hair styles within an edgy, artistic environment that exudes an unmistakable level of creativity. Co-owners David Valencia and Kenneth Bradshaw have honed their craft, receiving numerous accolades throughout their combined 30 years. Now, with a host of awards and an unparalleled education and training program for its staff, dk hair is at the forefront of hairstyling. Dk hair is open Tuesday through Saturday and can be reached at 619-546-4550. For additional information, please visit www.dkhair.net.

for immediate release
17 march 2007

contact dk hair
info@dkhair.net