Help make the holidays brighter for your neighbor! The Mount Prospect Holiday Meal Basket program is running extremely low and Pigtails & Crewcuts wants to help. Bring in a food pantry donation and we’ll give you $2 off your next visit. The Holiday Meal Basket program serves 120 families during both holidays, and also has a long wait list. Requested items include the following:

Items needed: 
Canned Fruit & Fruit Cups                Pasta Roni / Hamburger Helper
Canned Ravioli, Spaghetti,etc.          Popcorn
Canned Refried Beans                        Potatoes (Boxed or canned)
Coffee / Tea                                          Pudding & Pudding Cups
Condiments                                          Rice
Crackers                                                Sloppy Joe Mix
Dried Pinto Beans                               Stuffing Mix
Jam & Jelly                                          Paper Napkins or Towels
Pancake Mix                                        Toilet Paper
Pancake Syrup                                     Baby Diapers – Sizes 4, 5, & 6

PLEASE NO:
–CANNED FOODS OVER 32 oz. OR PACKAGES OVER 5 lbs.
–HOMEMADE FOODS.
–OPENED CONTAINERS OF FOOD.
–PASSED EXPIRATION DATES

Please see the Mount Prospect website for more information or call 847/870-5680.

We had a great time appearing on WGN’s midday news recently to show off our Halloween hair! We brought a whole bevvy of kids, including Simon and Louie (or, as we like to call them, the hair heirs to Pigtails & Crewcuts). The kids did a great job, and as you can see from the footage, might have been their own biggest fans! Notice them staring off into the distance? That’s because they’re looking into the mirror and admiring their new hair styles, hair color and costumes. It’s quintessentially cute. If you haven’t seen the segment, please check it out. Thanks!

The fantastic family blog Super Suburbs published a glowing review of Pigtails & Crewcuts Mt Prospect, outlining what mom blogger Betsie Estes loves about our salon. Thanks Betsie! We look forward to following your blog, and to seeing you and the kids again soon.

The  Chicago Sun-Times published a great story on Pigtails & Crewcuts and the Glenview and Mount Prospect franchise owner Bob Farster. Thanks so much to Natasha Wasinski for the witty piece!

With the beautiful days of summer just weeks away, we’re all ready for a little fun in the sun. As pools across town beckon to you and your brood, remember that chlorine can have a profound effect on hair. Don’t let your hair care take a summer vacation.

Chlorine can dry hair out, leaving it straw-like and green in color. Unless those chemicals are washed out with a good shampoo, the hair will continue smelling like your local swimming pool. The hair care experts at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Mount Prospect’s Randhurst Village recommend following a swim with Pigtails & Crewcuts Summertime Scrub. This gentle shampoo gets the chlorine out, leaving hair soft and shiny (returning it to its natural color). Next, work in any of our Pigtails & Crewcuts or Circle of Friends conditioners, which come in delicious smells, such as pineapple, melon, grape and more, and you and your family can worry less about the practical distractions of summer, and more about the important things, like lemonade stands and mud pies.

Lights, camera … diva action!

Did you know that our salon at Randhurst Village has a party room? Your daughter will be the belle of the ball at a Pigtails & Crewcuts dress-up party in Mount Prospect. In a room just for her, she and her friends can choose from an elaborate wardrobe of gowns, enjoy tasteful make-up application and non-toxic manicures. Our professional party host will play entertainment DJ, leading the girls through Freeze Dance and Wii Karaoke, along with classics like limbo, Simon Says and telephone games.

Each party is as creative as the kids are. Past themes have included Justin Bieber (complete with a full-size Justin Bieber poster, matching cups and themed goody bags), Fancy Nancy, glamor parties, princess parties, luaus, pirate parties and more. Plus, moms love the fact that the kids have all the fun, and then we do all the clean up. Book your party today and find out why Parents.com named Pigtails & Crewcuts one of the Top 10 Chains for Kid Birthday Parties.

The official opening of Pigtails & Crewcuts Mount Prospect in Randhurst Village April 5 was, indeed, grand! Mount Prospect Mayor Mayor Irvana K. Wilks visited the salon and proved adroit at ribbon cutting. David Fisher, the Rock ‘N’ Rope Warrior, was the star of the party. This former volleyball player travels the country showing kids how to work the ropes. He was onhand during our grand opening to teach the kids the latest jump rope antics, while demonstrating the rump-jumping moves that earned him the Guinness Book of World Records record: he jumped on his rump 56 times in one minute. Thanks for all of your support, and we hope to see you soon!

Pigtails & Crewcuts will be celebrating its grand opening Thursday, April 5 from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Mount Prospect Mayor Irvana Wilks will be on hand for the ribbon-cutting celebration (and maybe even a haircut, while those scissors are in hand) at the Randhurst Village kids’ salon in Mount Prospect. Hopping entertainment will follow, as David Fisher, the Rock ‘N’ Rope Warrior, takes the stage and struts his Guinness Book of World Records-holding stuff.

The grand-opening discounts, freebies and celebration will continue through the weekend. The salon, which is currently open, will offer a free shampoo with each haircut, and staff will be available for sassy braids, colorful face painting and more. In addition, Tony Sacco’s Coal Oven Pizza will be handing out coupons for free kids’ pizza.

Here’s the schedule:

Thursday, April 5, 2 p.m.: Mount Prospect Mayor Irvana Wilks will announce the grand opening of Pigtails & Crewcuts during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Thursday, April 5, 3 p.m.: Rock ‘N’ Rope Warrior David Fisher will show you what it takes to get into Guinness Book of World Records using your derrière. Fisher holds the record for “rump jumps,” i.e. jumping rope while landing on his bum. In addition to regular television appearances, the Rock ‘N’ Rope Warrior has also performed for Boris Yeltsin and President Bill Clinton. Plus, he sings!

 Saturday, April 7, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.: A face painter will be on hand for colorful face transformations. Stop in for a new look—it’s a great weekend to look like a certain famous bunny!

Thursday, April 5 – Saturday, April 7: Plus, stop by during normal salon hours (10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, closed Easter Sunday) for adorable braids, an Easter updo, a fantastic trim or just check out the cool chairs and toys the salon has to offer. To celebrate its grand opening, Pigtails & Crewcuts will be handing out coupons to area businesses.

The Mount Prospect Pigtails & Crewcuts is located at 26 Randhurst Village Drive. For an appointment or additional information call 847-506-1800 or go to pigtailsandcrewcuts.com/mt-prospect.

Raimonda Daka’s first day with Pigtails & Crewcuts was March 6, 2012, which was opening day for the Mount Prospect children’s hair salon. We’re enjoying getting to know this savvy woman, and we hope you do, too.

Where are you from? Originally, I’m from Albania,  it’s a small, beautiful country by Italy, Greece and Yugoslavia.

Do you have kids? I have two girls, one is 24 one is 18.

How long have you been working at Pigtails & Crewcuts? I began March 6 when the Mount Prospect salon opened.

How long have you been styling hair? Almost 11 years. I worked in a different kids’ salon for five years before starting to work here.

What drew you into this career? I love doing hair and I love children. And the products we use at Pigtails & Crewcuts are chemical-free, that’s a big thing for me.

What’s the funniest/strangest/cutest/wackiest hair or other request you’ve received from a customer?  I had a client who was maybe 8, with very, very curly hair and he wanted it buzzed with a long tail. When he came for the first time, I was thinking, in my mind, “Ok, I have to cut his tail.” But then when I asked, “So, what kind of hair cut do you want?” he said, “Just keep the tail. Everything else you can make nice and short, but with the tail, just a little trim.”

How did you respond to that? I went along with it. Whatever they want—that’s important.

What’s your secret weapon to get a child to stop crying before or during their haircut?  If they cry I’ll give them a lollipop or show them a book or toy, something that moves around. Girls especially love books, and they’ll look down so I can cut their hair. With boys, it’s video games.

What are some of your favorite haircut memories as a child? I had very good haircuts as a child. I went to a hair stylist, it was not like this, it was very simple. And I always had the same style: a bob, same as now. I changed it over the years, but when I was little it was always a bob.

Daka works primarily at the Mount Prospect location. To make an appointment, please call 847-506-1800.

It’s here, it’s finally here! We’re thrilled to announce the March 6 soft opening of the newest Pigtails & Crewcuts, located in Randhurst Village in the Village of Mount Prospect. We’ll be open 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., so come in, see our latest digs and get a fantastic haircut for your kids (and yourself).

The new children’s hair salon has something for everyone, with six chairs total, including an airplane, fire truck, taxi and three full-size chairs. We strive to make every visit fun for the kids and relaxing for the parents. We invite you to enjoy our two Play Stations 2, Wii, kids’ movies, countless toys, fabulous green vinyl couches and, of course, our ever-entertaining and talented stylists.

On opening day, Theresa will be at the salon from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and you’ll get to meet our newest stylists, Ramona and Candy (Ramona is in all day and Candy will be here from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.). Ramona has five years of managerial and stylist experience with kids’ hair, and Candy has worked in full-service and family salons for the past five years. In fact, Owner Bob Farster’s son, Louie the “hair heir,” recently got a trim from Candy and the 2 year-old gave her two thumbs up.

Stop in if you have a few minutes to say “hi” and check out the latest location. While you’re here, be sure and visit our great neighbors—shop the sales at Carter’s, enjoy crave-able coal-oven pizza at Tony Sacco’s and fill the car to the brim at Costco.

We’ll keep you posted on our grand opening, which will take place in about a month. We’re still in the planning stages, but we’ll tell you this much: It’s going to be a blast.

Also, we’re buzzing away, as always, at our Pigtails & Crewcuts Glenview location, 2660 Navy Blvd. Call 847.486.0700 for an appointment or stop by today.

The Mount Prospect Pigtails & Crewcuts is located at 26 Randhurst Village Drive. For an appointment or additional information call 847-506-1800.