- Report: #175838
Complaint Review: Gisu - New York New York
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Author Confirmed
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Gisu
230 East 83rd Street New York, 10011 New York, U.S.A.
Phone:
212-585-3568/3564
Web:
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Gisu ripoff package deal scam high pressure horrible service New York
In October 2005, I purchased a salon package for $60 that included a haircut, facial, and manicure, among other things, from a man standing outside my University. It was for a salon named Dolce Vita.
When I went to get my haircut, I was strongly and rudely pressured to get highlights, a cream treatment, and other unnecessary services that I didn't want, nor could I afford. After standing my ground for at least the first 20 minutes by refusing any other treatment, the hair stylist gave me the worst cut I've ever received. I honestly believe I could have done better myself. She spent 3 and a half minutes chopping my hair into horrible layers that, 4 months later, have still not grown out, and then after I accepted her offer of a blow-dry, charged me $50 for it.
As soon as I got home and did a search for Dolce Vita on Citysearch, I realized that this company survived off of scamming people (especially targeting students) into paying much more than the market value for haircuts, highlights, etc. There were multiple stories of people being charged $300-500 for bad highlights that they were pressured into buying after having signed up for simply a "discount" haircut. I immediately called the salon and asked to speak to the owner but was never able to get in touch with him. Needless to say, I did not go back to get the rest of my "services" from the salon.
Last week, I got a text message saying that Dolce Vita had closed, but that they'd opened a new salon and to text back for details. I found out by replying to the text message that the new salon is named Gisu, just a few blocks from the old salon.
More than anything else, I would like to force this ownership to close. It is hard to believe that a business like this can survive in America without being taken to court, but I feel helpless in being able to do anything.
Thanks for taking the time to read my report.
Erin
New York, New York
U.S.A.
When I went to get my haircut, I was strongly and rudely pressured to get highlights, a cream treatment, and other unnecessary services that I didn't want, nor could I afford. After standing my ground for at least the first 20 minutes by refusing any other treatment, the hair stylist gave me the worst cut I've ever received. I honestly believe I could have done better myself. She spent 3 and a half minutes chopping my hair into horrible layers that, 4 months later, have still not grown out, and then after I accepted her offer of a blow-dry, charged me $50 for it.
As soon as I got home and did a search for Dolce Vita on Citysearch, I realized that this company survived off of scamming people (especially targeting students) into paying much more than the market value for haircuts, highlights, etc. There were multiple stories of people being charged $300-500 for bad highlights that they were pressured into buying after having signed up for simply a "discount" haircut. I immediately called the salon and asked to speak to the owner but was never able to get in touch with him. Needless to say, I did not go back to get the rest of my "services" from the salon.
Last week, I got a text message saying that Dolce Vita had closed, but that they'd opened a new salon and to text back for details. I found out by replying to the text message that the new salon is named Gisu, just a few blocks from the old salon.
More than anything else, I would like to force this ownership to close. It is hard to believe that a business like this can survive in America without being taken to court, but I feel helpless in being able to do anything.
Thanks for taking the time to read my report.
Erin
New York, New York
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Joe
New York,New York,
U.S.A.
Inaccurate accusation
#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, August 31, 2006
The claim that 'Gisu' is run by the same people as 'La Dolce Vita' is false. They are in no way connected, and certainly not 'a few blocks away' - La Dolce Vita was on 60th and Lexington, and Gisu has been at 83rd and 2nd for the last 8 years. La Dolce Vita had very shady business practices and as a result has closed, but before they closed a large number of promotions for the salon were sold. I work with the promotional advertising company that was responsible for the promotions. Rather than let a large group of people simply lose out on money that they had already paid, I petitioned some other salons to see if they would accept the old promotions - and then I personally contacted the promotion holders. Gisu agreed to take the old promotions and perform all the services for anyone that wanted to redeem them. Gisu has been run by two very nice women for the last 8 years and had no affiliation with La Dolce Vita and its owner, a man. Gisu is a nice salon and its customers are consistently satisfied - I feel horrible for inadvertantly having been the cause of someone thinking that La Dolce Vita was connected to Gisu in any way.
Joe
New York,New York,
U.S.A.
Inaccurate accusation
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, August 31, 2006
The claim that 'Gisu' is run by the same people as 'La Dolce Vita' is false. They are in no way connected, and certainly not 'a few blocks away' - La Dolce Vita was on 60th and Lexington, and Gisu has been at 83rd and 2nd for the last 8 years. La Dolce Vita had very shady business practices and as a result has closed, but before they closed a large number of promotions for the salon were sold. I work with the promotional advertising company that was responsible for the promotions. Rather than let a large group of people simply lose out on money that they had already paid, I petitioned some other salons to see if they would accept the old promotions - and then I personally contacted the promotion holders. Gisu agreed to take the old promotions and perform all the services for anyone that wanted to redeem them. Gisu has been run by two very nice women for the last 8 years and had no affiliation with La Dolce Vita and its owner, a man. Gisu is a nice salon and its customers are consistently satisfied - I feel horrible for inadvertantly having been the cause of someone thinking that La Dolce Vita was connected to Gisu in any way.
