Rino Marra loves hair so much, he made the big move from Italy to the United States to start a business for it. The master stylist owns and operates two successful Figo Salon locations founded on education, innovation, and always putting the needs of clients first.
Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the history of Michigan’s Figo Salon, the locations, the services, and how to book an appointment.
“Back in the day when women used to go into the salons weekly for treatments and styling, I would go with her all the time,” Marra explains. “In daycare, I would say I was sick so I didn’t go to school because I knew she had a hair appointment and I wanted to go with her. My mom inspired me since I was a little kid.”
As an adult, Marra quickly become swept up in the salon industry. Laura Weber, the original owner, asked Marra to be her salon manager and business partner in 1997 at the originally-named Figaro Salon. He worked at the Figaro Salon until 2004 when he and his wife decided to take over the business and make it their own. Forever proud of his Italian roots, Marra tweaked the salon name without stripping it of its heritage.
“When I was living in Italy, the slang term ‘que figo’ was really popular...that means something that is cool, awesome, great, and hot,” Marra says. “We thought that was a perfect fit for us.”
Thus, the name Figo was born.
“It began as a dream to offer the most talented and innovative stylists and the highest quality hair products, to promote continuous education and comprehensive training, to provide clients with a temporary sanctuary from the chaos of everyday life, and provide customer service that’s a perfect ritual of excellence, quality, and simplicity,” Marra says.
The aesthetic and design of both Figo Salon locations are unique to their respective cities—which is exactly what Marra intended. The original location in Birmingham is a modern, renovated department store with large glass windows covering the front so customers can catch a glimpse of the salon from the street. The newer site in Rochester is a sharp contrast to the first business—a revamped 1926 farmhouse with modern finishes.
Though visually different, the salons operate in very much the same way. Neither salon offers TVs, Marra says, to make the client’s salon experience more genuine.
“We don’t want anything from the outside world affecting the moment when you’re here....We want it just to be about beauty, and we want it to be about you.”
“Kérastase is a fantastic brand because it’s treatment line is so specific with the technology behind it,” Marra says. “Whatever the needs are, Kerastase has the solution for it.”
Marra stands by the Kérastase Chronologiste line as one of his favorites.
Out of all the services available, Marra says clients most frequently look to Figo for color.
“We’re definitely known as a place where people come in to get corrective color...We take care of clients hair because our philosophy is the integrity of the hair comes first,” Marra explains.
Whether you’re after a quality cut, a color change, or simply a day of relaxation, you’re going to want to give Figo a call.
Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the history of Michigan’s Figo Salon, the locations, the services, and how to book an appointment.
The Brand
Marra’s passion for hair began as a child. Growing up in Italy, he accompanied his mother to salon whenever he could and even started doing her hair at the age of 10.“Back in the day when women used to go into the salons weekly for treatments and styling, I would go with her all the time,” Marra explains. “In daycare, I would say I was sick so I didn’t go to school because I knew she had a hair appointment and I wanted to go with her. My mom inspired me since I was a little kid.”
As an adult, Marra quickly become swept up in the salon industry. Laura Weber, the original owner, asked Marra to be her salon manager and business partner in 1997 at the originally-named Figaro Salon. He worked at the Figaro Salon until 2004 when he and his wife decided to take over the business and make it their own. Forever proud of his Italian roots, Marra tweaked the salon name without stripping it of its heritage.
“When I was living in Italy, the slang term ‘que figo’ was really popular...that means something that is cool, awesome, great, and hot,” Marra says. “We thought that was a perfect fit for us.”
Thus, the name Figo was born.
The Locations
Marra’s passion for hair may have been what first sparked his interest in running a salon, but his dream was about something much different.“It began as a dream to offer the most talented and innovative stylists and the highest quality hair products, to promote continuous education and comprehensive training, to provide clients with a temporary sanctuary from the chaos of everyday life, and provide customer service that’s a perfect ritual of excellence, quality, and simplicity,” Marra says.
The aesthetic and design of both Figo Salon locations are unique to their respective cities—which is exactly what Marra intended. The original location in Birmingham is a modern, renovated department store with large glass windows covering the front so customers can catch a glimpse of the salon from the street. The newer site in Rochester is a sharp contrast to the first business—a revamped 1926 farmhouse with modern finishes.
Though visually different, the salons operate in very much the same way. Neither salon offers TVs, Marra says, to make the client’s salon experience more genuine.
“We don’t want anything from the outside world affecting the moment when you’re here....We want it just to be about beauty, and we want it to be about you.”
The Products
At Figo Salon, Marra stocks a diverse array of products to match the needs of his wide-ranging clientele. Though Marra loves all of the brands it partners with, he’s quick to mention Kérastase as one of his favorites.“Kérastase is a fantastic brand because it’s treatment line is so specific with the technology behind it,” Marra says. “Whatever the needs are, Kerastase has the solution for it.”
Marra stands by the Kérastase Chronologiste line as one of his favorites.
The Services
The salons offer a full range of services including women’s haircuts ($50+), bridal styling ($110+), extensions (price determined by consultation), color correction (price determined by consultation), and smoothing treatments ($250+).Out of all the services available, Marra says clients most frequently look to Figo for color.
“We’re definitely known as a place where people come in to get corrective color...We take care of clients hair because our philosophy is the integrity of the hair comes first,” Marra explains.
Whether you’re after a quality cut, a color change, or simply a day of relaxation, you’re going to want to give Figo a call.
The Details
Figo Salon is located at 265 N Old Woodward Ave in Birmingham, Michigan and 130 E. 4th St. in Rochester, Michigan. To book an appointment at the Birmingham location, call 248-723-7990. To book an appointment at the Rochester location, call 248-656-3446. Follow Figo Salon on Instagram or visit www.figosalon.com for more information.
You might also like: Salon Spotlight: Nikki Latty Hair in New Rochelle, NY
You might also like: Salon Spotlight: Bella Rinova In Houston, TX
