Route One Fun

Fun Along the Route 1 Corridor

  • Home
  • Advertise
  • Outdoor Fun
  • Art
  • Food & Drink
  • Spotlight on Schools

November 7, 2016 by routeonefunlady

Biz Review: Bananas Hair Design, College Park

Updated 1/31/2017
By popular demand, Route One Fun! is expanding to feature a Local Biz Review section with this debut review of College Park’s Bananas Hair Design!  Check it out, y’all!  And then “like” Route One Fun on Facebook to automatically stay in the know about the happs in PGC!  

It’d been a while since I’d set foot inside a hair salon.  And it showed.  Girl, it showed.  Scraggly bits here, no body here, there or anywhere.  Flippity, flap.  I looked like an extra on Honey Boo Boo but not in a funny or ironic way…More of a straight-up you-on-the-tail-end-of-hard-times kind of way.  And now, it was time.  Time to try a new, local stylist.  But tepid Yelp reviews and a stroll past other local possibilities around Route One weren’t exactly movin’ my lady spirit.  Eureka happened when I read that Alison Gary, a fashion blogger whose style and persona I truly dig is actually local AND gets her hair done at Bananas Hair Design.  Well, hot damn.  Decision made: Gets me to Kathleen forthwith!

After getting cozy in her chair, Kathleen asked how long it had been since my last cut.  I froze.  A customary question, yes, but between getting this one’s diaper on and that one ready for soccer, remembering to have my hair’s sell-by date in my back pocket was not on my list.  Finally, I landed on the answer and sheepishly replied: Forever/March/don’t judge me.  Thankfully, she rolled with it and deftly pivoted to a question of what it was that I was hoping from this visit.  Who me?  Clearly, a miracle.

I was really happy with the experience.  Kathleen took the time to listen to what I wanted from the haircut and then made some recommendations on how to improve things.  When I asked what she would do were she to have my magic wand, she actually had some real feedback as opposed to just repeating what I had said – how refreshing!  I appreciated her advice and we ordered me up some thicker, bigger bangs, more layers & a side of 3 inches off my tattered ends.  Kathleen has been at Bananas for over 20 years and her experience shows; she’s prompt, efficient (wash, cut and blow-dry done ~ 50 minutes) and engages in enough chat for you to comfortably know that she knows what she’s doing but not so much that you don’t have any time to just sit there and unwind.  She hails from Hyattsville, rocks some dreads and happened to be showcasing a sweet GNR short-sleeved t-shirt.

In the short span of time that I was there, I noticed many regular customers and a laid-back atmosphere throughout the place.  The tunes were also set to an 80s Pandora Station, which I dug as The Pixies, The Cure and Joy Division were a welcome diversion from the typical, daily Kids Bop jams that litter my musical membranes.

For a little before and after, here’s what she was workin’ with & the final product:

Life as Honey Boo Boo Extra.
Life After Honey Boo Boo.

The wash, cut & blowdry was ~ $48 though that included a 20% discount for being a first time customer.  I was happy with the cut at Bananas and will be penciling in my next appointment with Kathleen soon.  (Quick update – Just learned that new customers who mention Route One Fun! at check-in/out, will get 20% off their service and I’ll get 20% off next time!  Win, win!)

So, tell me, Route One Fun-land:  Where you get your hair done and what you like about your local spot?  Drop you knowledge in the comments, below!

And don’t forget to “like” Route One Fun! on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and share this post (nifty, easy widget below) with your nearest & dearest today! Mwa!

Banana’s Hair Design, 4511 Knox Road, College Park / 301-277-4500.

0 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Subscribe here

❮❮ Previous Post
Next Post ❯❯

Comments

  1. Route One Fun! says

    March 8, 2018 at 3:11 pm

    Thanks, Kate! Just stopped by for another cut with Kathleen the other day! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Kate says

    March 8, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    Hair looks awesome, Sarah!!

    Reply
  3. Route One Fun! says

    January 31, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    Will update to clarify! Thanks!

    Reply
  4. knitblitz says

    January 31, 2017 at 8:58 pm

    Oh, oops, Kathleen is knitblitz!

    Reply
  5. knitblitz says

    January 31, 2017 at 8:57 pm

    Thanks so much Sarah! I really appreciate the great review!

    Just a little clarification about the 20% off though. We have a program where if an existing client refers new clients to the stylist who did their hair- the new client gets 20% off on their first visit and the existing client gets 20% off on their next service. But yes, in this case, new clients who tell me about Route One Fun will get 20% off.

    Thanks again!

    Reply
  6. Route One Fun! says

    November 13, 2016 at 2:08 am

    Thanks for the feedback, Liz and Kathy! Good to know about Katie and John. Seems like Bananas has a good, solid menu of experienced stylists to choose from. Purdy cool!

    Reply
  7. KathyZ says

    November 12, 2016 at 3:43 am

    Also love Kathleen at Bananas! John is also great, but only works on Wednesdays.

    Reply
  8. Liz says

    November 11, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    I get my hair done there too… with another stylist, Katie. I was sad to leave my beloved stylist in Pentagon City but I've been so happy with Katie. She is awesome and several of my friends got to her now too.

    Reply
  9. Route One Fun! says

    November 11, 2016 at 2:33 am

    Thank you, ladies! You two are mighty stylish so pretty chuffed with your compliments!

    Reply
  10. eva byrne says

    November 10, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    Love, love, love those bangs!

    Reply
  11. Alison at Wardrobe Oxygen says

    November 7, 2016 at 10:11 am

    Your hair looks fantastic! Kathleen is amazing, I am so glad you enjoyed your experience with her and Bananas Salon!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Route One Fun events calendar
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Subscribe here

Search

Categories

Archives

Outdoors

Imagination Playgrounds Tour: Little Critter in Bowie

We were away for much of the summer, so we had to … [Read More...]

Imagination Playgrounds Tour: Historic Flour Mill Playground in Adelphi

We are steadily working our way through the 25 … [Read More...]

Imagination Playgrounds Tour: Woodland Wonderland in Capitol Heights

The next stop on our tour of the 25 Imagination … [Read More...]

Imagination Playgrounds Tour: Mt. Rainier Playgrounds

Our tour continues with a stop at the two Prince … [Read More...]

Imagination Playgrounds Tour: Indian Creek Playground in Berwyn Heights

Our tour of the 25 Imagination Playgrounds in … [Read More...]

Read more...

Juneteenth

Where to Celebrate Juneteenth Near Route 1

Take a Hike! Greenbelt Park

Images of works of art at the Brentwood Arts Exchange

Brentwood Arts Exchange: “From Baltimore With Love”

Route-One-Fun-goodbye

Slán Agus Beannacht a/k/a Goodbye, Buds

  • About
  • Disclosure & Privacy Policy

Pretty Chic Theme By: Pretty Darn Cute Design