Charles A. Penzone defied what others thought was impossible by opening the doors to his first salon with two employees and a $500 bank loan from local Huntington Bank.
At PENZONE Salons + Spas, we’re more than just beauty—we’re a community for self-care. Our artists and therapists share their craftsmanship and creativity to deliver today’s trends in hair, makeup, skincare, massage, and nails. Our guests are top priority. In our holistic approach to beauty, we only use the best ingredients and techniques to support the lifestyle, ambition and beauty our guests are seeking.
In 1969, Charles Penzone defied what others thought was impossible—he opened the doors to his first salon with only two employees and a $500 bank loan. Several decades and six salons later, Charles and his wife, Debbie still believe in the same values that brought them to this moment: a passion for community, an emphasis on education, and a never-ending desire to make others feel beautiful, from the inside out.
Before becoming the president and CEO of PENZONE, Debbie was a hairstylist first and quickly climbed the ranks to Creative Director. With hobbies including painting, art classes, and plenty of makeovers on friends and family, she always found herself wanting to create like an artist. Like an artist, Debbie knew that the composition of design and color should complement not only a guest’s face shape, but their entire essence. Growing up, she learned that beauty is so much more than what’s on the outside—it truly comes from within. During her time as an artist, she realized that every guest she saw had undeniable inner beauty, and she wanted to do everything she could to help them find self-confidence—a motivation that continues at PENZONE Salon + Spas to this day.
Featured in industry publications such as Salon Today and Modern Salon magazine, PENZONE continues to be recognized locally as the Best Salon and Best Spa in Columbus. But we didn’t do all of this to win awards. We did this to build careers and take care of our guests.
The secret to our success? We like to think it’s our focus, strength, fearlessness, and smarts—our team is made up of nearly 500 people bringing these to the table every single day. When a new technique or trend emerges on the East or West Coast, our artists and therapists are on it. Our professionals learn it, create the experience, and make it all PENZONE.
Our training is rigorous and thorough. We provide our artists and therapists so many opportunities to learn new skills, dive into new certifications, and take their careers to the next level.to create new career paths. PENZONE is constantly evolving to meet—and exceed—the needs of our guests.
Recognition
February 28 2023
Salon Today 200: Customer Service
December 2 2022
Columbus Dispatch: CBUS Top Picks
December 12 2022
The Top 10 Salons & Spas in Columbus
November 3 2022
STAMP: Apparel + Single Creative Social Media Post
October 18 2022
Columbus CEO’s Best of Business 2022: Best Spa/Salon
June 21 2022
Best of Columbus Weddings: Best Hair, Makeup +Spa
June 17 2022
Columbus Monthly: Best Hair Salon + Best Spa
May 3 2022
614 Magazine ColumBEST: Best Salon/Spa
February 11 2022
Salon Today: Top 200 Honoree
December 29 2021
Columbus Underground: Best Salon + Spa
December 10 2021
The Columbus Dispatch: Best Hair Salon, Best Nail Salon + Best Place to get a Haircut
October 10 2021
614: Best Salon + Spa
August 1 2021
Columbus CEO Best of Business
July 1 2021
CityScene Best Of The 'Bus Best Salon
June 22 2021
Best of Columbus Weddings Winner
May 27 2021
Columbus Monthly: Best Spa
February 21 2021
Salon Today 200 Honoree
January 2 2021
2021 Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service Honoree
December 10 2020
The Dispatch Colubus Top Picks
September 8 2020
Best of Business Best Spa/Salon
September 2 2020
ColumBEST Best Spa/Salon
August 10 2020
Columbus Weddings
April 27 2020
Salon of the Year- Salon of Distinction
December 11 2019
CBUS Top Picks: Best Nail Salon
December 11 2019
CBUS Top Picks: Best Salon
September 5 2019
Best of Business Spa/Salon
August 29 2019
This is How We Holiday Campaign
August 29 2019
Influencer Program
July 1 2019
Best Spa Day Out
July 1 2019
Best Salon
June 21 2019
Best Spa
June 21 2019
Best Hair Salon
May 19 2019
Salon Today Magazine's Salons of the Year 2019
May 1 2019
Best Hair Salon
March 28 2019
Best Spa
March 28 2019
Best Hair Salon
March 1 2019
Sales Promotion + Packaging | Packaging Campaign
March 1 2019
Ambient Media | Events | Single Event
January 29 2019
NAHA: Salon / School Design of the Year 2019
December 6 2018
Salon Today 200 Profit Center
December 5 2018
CBUS Top Picks: Best Salon
December 5 2018
CBUS Top Picks: Best Spa
December 2 2018
NAHA: Salon / School Design of the Year Finalist
October 30 2018
Columbus CEO: Best of Business Award Spa/Salon
August 28 2018
Salon Today's S.T.A.M.P. Awards: Mission Statement
August 28 2018
Salon Today's S.T.A.M.P. Awards: Email Newsletter
June 22 2018
BEST of Columbus: Best Spa
May 2 2018
Salons of the Year 2018: Royal Rhino Club Barbershop and Lounge
January 5 2018
614 Magazine ColumBEST: Best Salon
March 24 2018
Columbus Alive: Best Salon
December 11 2017
Columbus Dispatch Top Picks: Best Salon + Best Spa
November 14 2017
Ohio Magazine: Best Destination Spa
July 14 2017
Columbus CEO: Best of Business Award Spa/Salon
June 29 2017
Columbus Navigator: The 13 Best Hair Salons In Columbus
June 23 2017
Columbus Monthly: Best of Columbus Salon & Spa
December 26 2016
Columbus Underground: Top 10 Salons + Spas
December 17 2016
Columbus Dispatch Top Picks: Best Salon + Best Spa
November 12 2016
The Knot Magazine: 2017 Pick For Best Of Weddings
November 1 2016
Columbus CEO: Best of Business Award
October 3 2016
Smart Business Magazine: Honors Debra Penzone in Smart50
September 7 2016
Salon Today Magazine
July 1 2016
Columbus Monthly: Best of Columbus Salon & Spa
May 1 2016
614 ColumBest Salon
January 4 2016
Salon Today Award Winner
January 1 2016
The Knot 2016 Best of Weddings Winner
September 23 2015
Debra Penzone Recognized as YWCA Woman of Achievement
September 18 2015
Salon Today Award Winner
September 9 2015
S.T.A.M.P. Award Winner
July 1 2015
Columbus Monthly Best of Columbus Salon & Spa
May 1 2015
Columbus CEO, Best of Business
May 1 2015
614 ColumBEST Salon
1969
1969
1970-1990
1970-1990
In the years that followed, Charles opened several small salon concepts throughout Columbus’ neighborhoods and revolutionized the Midwest by introducing the Vidal Sassoon styling technique to the local market.
1989
1989
Charles Penzone, Inc. had grown to nine salons with 150 employees. The average salon size was 3,000 square feet – larger than industry standards at this time.
1991
1991
Charles consolidated six of his nine salon locations around Columbus to create the first Grand Salon in Dublin, Ohio. The transition created the 18,000 square foot structure consisting of three floors of hair styling stations, manicure stations, treatment rooms a training room and a private garden. The Grand Salon in Dublin received the grandest of industry honors – Salon of the Year from Modern Salon Magazine. Charles was also featured on The Today Show, Inside Edition, People Magazine, InStyle Magazine and Redbook.
1996
1996
The success of The Grand Salon in Dublin was duplicated when Charles opened The Grand Salon in Gahanna/New Albany. The remaining salons were consolidated to create the 20,000 square foot structure – at the time, the largest and most luxurious salon and day spa in the world. The Grand Salon in Gahanna/New Albany received Modern Salon Magazine’s Salon of The Year award.
1996
1996
MAX THE SALON, a 1,100 square-foot salon designed to serve the eclectic, upscale community of German Village also opened this year.
2002
2002
Charles Penzone opened a third Grand Salon at Polaris Parkway. The Grand Salon at Polaris Parkway was named Salon of the Year by Modern Salon Magazine.
2005
2005
The second MAX THE SALON opened in the hip, urban Short North Arts District of downtown Columbus. The Charles Penzone Salons was named the “Top 200 Fastest Growing Salon” by Salon Today Magazine.
2011
2011
Charles A. Penzone was honored with the International SalonSpa Business Network Lifetime Achievement Award, a title also held by industry icon, Vidal Sassoon.
2015
2015
Debra Penzone was honored as one of YWCA’s “Women of Achievement.” This recognition honors women in Central Ohio for their dedicated years of service.
2015
2015
MAX THE Salon, a Charles Penzone Concept, is rebranded. MAX THE SALON Upper Arlington (formerly Q Salon) is introduced.
2017
2017
Royal Rhino Club Barbershop & Lounge opens its doors in Italian Village -- offering a modern touch to old-world barbering.
2017
2017
December 2017 marked the opening of LIT Life + Yoga.
2018
2018
The Company reinvents the salon and spa industry once again with a new concept, PENZONE Salons + Spas.
2018
2018
The new PENZONE Dublin opens it's doors, later earning top honors as NAHA's Salon/School Design of the Year + Salon Today's Salon of the Year.
2018
2018
Our new concept was city-bound with the reinvention of our PENZONE Short North location. Graduating to a bigger space, our urban concept has been building community ever since.
2019
2019
Next up was a refresh for PENZONE Polaris. Talk about transformation! This new space has helped our team embody our mantra of improving lives from the outside in.
2021
2021
German Village got a glow up! That's right, our quaint PENZONE German Village Salon was refreshed, while still keeping its village charm.
2022
2022
Our fifth go at innovating our PENZONE Salon + Spa concept came with the opening of PENZONE Gahanna/New Albany. Our aim was to continue to live our mantra, “improving lives from the outside in.” This was delivered via new opportunities for mindfulness, wellness, health + of course, beauty!
Community
Opening our hearts and lending the power of our hands makes us whole. We believe in living purpose-driven lives and do so by supporting local and national causes. Please reach out to your PENZONE pro if there's a community initiative you're interested in us supporting.
DONATION REQUEST FORMARTS & CULTURE
Arts and culture are impactful to our own profession and we strive to help local organizations flourish.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
A healthy life is a happy life and that’s why we are strong advocates for causes that empower women and support healthy lifestyles for all.
DEBBIE'S INITIATIVES
With a big heart and passion for people, Debbie Penzone donates her time, leadership and funds to many non-profit organizations and her own—Earth Angels, The Debra Penzone Foundation.
#penzonecares
Load More #penzonecares
