Best Salon Near Oak Park, IL | 3rd Coast Salon

Chicago's River North Hair Salon Serving Oak Park Clients | Color, Cuts, Extensions, and More at 223 West Erie Street

Welcome to 3rd Coast Salon: The Best Salon for Oak Park, IL Residents

If you live in Oak Park and you have been looking for a salon that actually delivers, the drive into Chicago's River North neighborhood is worth every minute. 3rd Coast Salon sits at 223 West Erie Street, Suite 1E, just a straight shot east on the Eisenhower Expressway from Oak Park. This is where Oak Park residents come when they are done settling for less and ready for color, cuts, and styling done by people who genuinely know what they are doing.

The team at 3rd Coast is built around one belief: every guest deserves a stylist who listens, understands what they want, and delivers results that feel completely like them. From Phillip Fowler's precision cuts and extensions to Kevin's exceptional color work, the talent inside this salon is the kind that Oak Park clients drive in for and keep coming back to. You will not find this level of specialist expertise closer to home.

Salon Location: 223 West Erie Street, Suite 1E, Chicago, IL 60654

Phone Number: +1 (312) 929-2627

Email us: Info@3rdcoastsalon.com

Hours

• Sun-Mon: Closed
• Tues-Fri: 10am-7pm
• Saturday: 9am-5pm

Book Your Appointment Now

Why 3rd Coast Salon Is the Best Salon Near Oak Park, IL

Oak Park is a beautiful community with a lot going for it. What it does not have is a salon operating at the level of 3rd Coast. The gap in specialist talent between what is available locally and what Phillip's team brings in River North is real, and Oak Park clients who have made the trip know it. Once you sit in a chair at 3rd Coast, it becomes very hard to go back to anything closer.

Specialist-Level Talent That Oak Park Cannot Find Locally

At most suburban salons, you get someone who does a little of everything. At 3rd Coast, you get a specialist. Kevin is one of Chicago's best colorists for rich, dimensional reds and seamless balayage. Amarii handles textured hair, color corrections, bleach and tone work, and updos with a level of skill that is genuinely rare anywhere in the Chicagoland area. Lydia creates fantasy colors and extension installs that Oak Park clients drive in specifically to see her for. Owner Phillip Fowler anchors all of it as a master stylist, educator, and mentor who sets the standard for everyone on the floor.

The Kind of Experience Oak Park Clients Keep Coming Back For

Clients have called 3rd Coast a hidden gem, and that description fits. This is not a flashy, high-volume operation. It is a boutique collective where the consultations are real, the results are consistent, and the experience feels personal every time. Taylor came in chasing a color she had been trying to get for years and walked out blown away. Allison sat with Diana for a gloss service and John for a cut and was already planning her next visit before she left. Phillip walked one client through every step of a cut and taught them how to maintain a healthy scalp at home. That is just the standard here, not the exception.

Premium Products That Perform in the Chicago Climate

3rd Coast carries Milbon and Unite, two professional brands that perform in Chicago's demanding climate. Oak Park sits in the same weather pattern as the city: brutal winters with dry indoor heat, unpredictable springs, humid summers, and dry falls. Milbon's Japanese precision formulas are specifically effective for maintaining moisture and protecting color through every season. The team recommends what your hair actually needs based on your specific situation, not just what happens to be on the shelf.

Services at 3rd Coast Salon

Haircuts

Haircuts: Starting at $50

Every haircut at 3rd Coast includes a shampoo, the cut, and a blowdry. Hot tool styling is available as an add-on. Pricing varies by stylist. Amarii's haircuts start at $95, Phillip F.'s at $125, and Lydia's at $90. If you are booking a haircut alongside a color service, book color first. The team shapes every cut around your face structure, texture, and lifestyle so you leave with something that genuinely works for you day to day, whether you are in Oak Park or heading into the city.

Styling

Blowouts and Up Styling

Styling at 3rd Coast covers two options. The blowout service includes a shampoo, condition, and full blowdry, with hot tool work available as an add-on. The up styling service is done on clean, dry hair and includes hot tool work and up styling, with the blowdry not included. Whether you are heading to an event, a dinner out, or just want to feel polished for the week ahead, the team delivers clean, lasting results worth the drive from Oak Park.

Color Services

Single Process Color: Starting at $93+

Single process color is the right call for clients maintaining their shade or making a straightforward change. Pricing starts at $93 and varies by stylist. Book color first when combining with other services.

Highlights: Partial Starting at $213+ | Full Starting at $243+

Both partial and full highlight services include one gloss. Partial highlights start at $213 and full highlights start at $243. Kevin and the color team approach highlights with precision and a deep understanding of how the Chicago area's seasonal UV exposure and weather shifts affect color over time. For Oak Park clients who spend time outdoors in summer, that knowledge matters.

Balayage: Starting at $159+

Balayage at 3rd Coast is a freehand hair painting technique that creates natural, sun-kissed dimension with very low maintenance between appointments. Starts at $159 and includes one gloss. Kevin's balayage work is one of the most requested services at the salon, consistently delivering results that grow out beautifully and suit real life in the Chicago suburbs.

Gloss: Starting at $127+

A standalone gloss service for clients who want to refresh vibrancy, correct brassiness, or add shine between color appointments. Starting at $127.

Color Correction

Color corrections are complex, multi-step services and Amarii is the person at 3rd Coast who handles them. If you have had uneven results elsewhere, box dye buildup, or color that has shifted in ways you did not want, Amarii's expertise in bleach and tone and layered color work makes her one of the best in the Chicagoland area for getting your hair back on track. Pricing is determined by consultation.

Fantasy Colors

Lydia handles all fantasy color work at 3rd Coast. Vivid pinks, purples, teals, pastels, bold panels, and full transformations. If you want color that makes a real statement, Lydia is your stylist. Her technical foundation with bleach and tone means she approaches creative color with the knowledge to keep hair healthy through the whole process.

Texture Services

Keratin Treatments

3rd Coast is a Keratin Complex KCELITE certified salon. For Oak Park clients dealing with the Chicago area's humid summers and dry winters, a professional keratin treatment significantly cuts dry time, reduces frizz, and keeps your style manageable through the seasons. The team matches the right service to your hair type and walks you through realistic expectations for how long results last in this specific climate.

Extensions

Custom Hair Extensions

Extensions at 3rd Coast are handled by Phillip Fowler, Lydia, and Luke. Phillip is the primary extension specialist and brings years of experience matching the right method to your hair type, lifestyle, and maintenance reality. Whether you are adding length, volume, or both, extensions here are done with real precision. Pricing is determined by method and a consultation. The best first step is booking a consultation so the team can assess your hair and recommend exactly what will work for you.

Conditioning Treatments

Conditioning Treatments: Starting at $35

3rd Coast offers several conditioning and treatment options based on what your hair needs. Conditioning treatments start at $35, with mid-level options starting at $50 and more intensive treatments starting at $75. The standout service in this category is the Scalp Treatment, which starts at $129 and includes a full one-hour scalp massage and targeted treatment. For Oak Park clients dealing with dry, sensitive scalps after a Chicago-area winter, this is one of the most restorative services on the menu. When pairing treatments with color, always book color first.

Meet the 3rd Coast Salon Team

Phillip Fowler, Owner and Master Stylist

Phillip is the foundation of everything 3rd Coast does. As owner, stylist, educator, and mentor, he brings deep experience to every client and every interaction on the floor. His extension work and precision cuts are some of the best in Chicago, and the way he lifts the stylists around him has made 3rd Coast a place where genuine talent grows. Clients who sit with Phillip consistently describe feeling heard and genuinely cared for. Cuts with Phillip start at $125.

Kevin, Colorist

Kevin's specialty is color that turns heads. His reds are rich and dimensional. His balayage technique is refined and deliberate. If color is your priority and you want someone who approaches it as an art form, Kevin is your stylist.

Amarii, Color and Texture Specialist

Amarii is the person to see for color corrections, textured hair, bleach and tone work, and updos. Her understanding of how color interacts with different textures and curl patterns is exceptional. Haircuts with Amarii start at $95.

Lydia, Fantasy Color, Extensions, and Cut Specialist

Lydia brings creative vision and technical depth together in a way that is genuinely hard to find. Fantasy colors, bleach and tone, extensions, and cuts are all part of her practice. Cuts with Lydia start at $90.

Luke, Colorist and Extension Stylist

Luke handles color, highlights, cuts, and extensions with a clean, detail-forward approach. His clients come back consistently because the results hold up and the process is easy.

Mark and Tammy, Color and Style Specialists

Mark and Tammy are versatile, reliable stylists who handle color, cuts, and styling with the same care and professionalism the rest of the floor brings every day.

Independent Stylists: Olivia, Christopher, Mya, Krista, Parto, and Kristen

The independent stylists at 3rd Coast add remarkable range to an already strong team. Olivia, Christopher, Mya, and Krista all handle color, cuts, and styling. Parto specializes in cuts and styling. Kristen is a colorist with a loyal client base built over years of consistent, thoughtful work. Her clients rave about how she goes above and beyond to make sure they love their color every single time.

Monika, Independent Nail Technician

Monika handles manicures and pedicures at 3rd Coast. When you are already making the trip from Oak Park for your hair, taking care of your nails in the same visit makes real sense.

The 3rd Coast Experience for Oak Park Clients

An Easy Drive From Oak Park Into River North

Getting to 3rd Coast from Oak Park is straightforward. Take the Eisenhower Expressway east into the city and you land in River North in about 20 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. The salon is at 223 West Erie Street, Suite 1E, with street parking available on Erie and the surrounding blocks. Several parking garages are accessible nearby in River North. Once you are there, you are in one of Chicago's most vibrant neighborhoods with theMART, the Chicago Riverwalk, Marina City, and the River North Gallery District all within easy walking distance.

Built for What the Chicago Area Climate Does to Hair

Oak Park sits in the same demanding weather pattern as Chicago. Winters bring freezing temperatures, dry indoor heating, and wind that strips moisture from every strand. Springs are unpredictable with rising humidity. Summers push heat and lake humidity that fades color and frizzes out hair faster than most clients expect. Falls are the best window to restore summer damage before the cold returns. The team at 3rd Coast factors all of this into every service, every product recommendation, and every conversation about maintenance.

Why Oak Park Clients Choose to Drive to 3rd Coast

The honest answer is that the level of specialist talent at 3rd Coast is simply not available in Oak Park at this depth. When you want Kevin's color work, Amarii's corrections, Lydia's creative services, or Phillip's extension expertise, you make the drive. And once Oak Park clients find 3rd Coast, they stop looking anywhere else. The results hold up, the experience is genuinely personal, and the team treats every visit as if it matters, because to them it does.

Frequently Asked Questions From Oak Park Clients

Is 3rd Coast Salon worth the drive from Oak Park to Chicago?

Every Oak Park client who makes the trip to 3rd Coast in River North says yes. The level of specialist talent at 3rd Coast, whether that is Kevin's color work, Amarii's corrections, Lydia's creative services, or Phillip's extensions, is not available at this depth in Oak Park. The drive on the Eisenhower is about 20 to 25 minutes, and the results are the kind you cannot get closer to home. Clients from Oak Park consistently become long-term regulars because the quality is that consistent.

How do Oak Park clients get to 3rd Coast Salon and where do they park?

Take the Eisenhower Expressway east from Oak Park and head toward River North. The salon is at 223 West Erie Street, Suite 1E, Chicago, IL 60654. Street parking is available on Erie Street and the surrounding blocks. Several parking garages are close by in the River North neighborhood. The trip is typically 20 to 25 minutes from Oak Park without heavy traffic, and Saturday morning appointments from Oak Park clients are particularly popular because the drive is easy before the city fully wakes up.

Which stylist at 3rd Coast Salon is best for Oak Park clients who want balayage?

Kevin is the person to book for balayage at 3rd Coast. His freehand painting technique creates natural, sun-kissed dimension that grows out beautifully and requires minimal maintenance between appointments. For Oak Park clients who want low-upkeep color that still looks intentional and polished, Kevin's balayage is exactly what they come in for. Balayage starts at $159 and includes one gloss.

What color services does 3rd Coast Salon offer that Oak Park clients specifically come in for?

Oak Park clients make the trip to 3rd Coast for the full color menu: single process color starting at $93, partial highlights starting at $213, full highlights starting at $243, balayage starting at $159, and a standalone gloss starting at $127. Color corrections handled by Amarii and fantasy colors done by Lydia are two services that Oak Park clients specifically seek out because that level of expertise is genuinely hard to find locally. All highlight and balayage services include one gloss.

Does 3rd Coast Salon offer keratin treatments for Oak Park clients dealing with Chicago's humidity?

Yes. 3rd Coast is a Keratin Complex KCELITE certified salon. For Oak Park clients dealing with the Chicago area's humid summers, a professional keratin treatment significantly reduces frizz, cuts styling time, and keeps your hair manageable through the heat. The team matches the right service to your hair type and gives you realistic guidance on how long results last in this specific climate. This is one of the most popular services for Oak Park clients who come in before summer hits.

Can Oak Park residents with textured or natural hair get specialized services at 3rd Coast Salon?

Absolutely. Amarii specializes in textured and natural hair, handling everything from color corrections on natural hair to bleach and tone work on coarser curl patterns with real expertise. Extensions on textured hair are available through Phillip, Lydia, and Luke. 3rd Coast is one of the more inclusive and capable salons in the Chicagoland area when it comes to the full range of hair types and textures, and Oak Park clients with natural hair consistently find the team meets their needs in a way that local options often do not.

How do Oak Park clients book an appointment at 3rd Coast Salon in Chicago?

You can book your appointment online or call +1 (312) 929-2627 directly. The salon is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 7pm and Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Saturdays tend to book up quickly for Oak Park clients who prefer to combine their salon visit with a day in the city, so booking in advance is recommended. If you need to cancel, 3rd Coast requires a minimum 24-hour notice by speaking directly with a staff member. Late cancellations under 24 hours may be charged 50% of the scheduled service.

What should Oak Park clients know about 3rd Coast Salon's booking and cancellation policy?

3rd Coast requires a credit card to hold your appointment. Accepted payments include Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, cash, debit cards, and Apple Pay. Tips are accepted via cash, Venmo, and Zelle and cannot be added to credit cards. Cancellations require at least 24 hours' notice by speaking directly with a staff member. Late cancellations may result in a 50% charge for the scheduled service. No-shows may be charged the full service amount.

What Oak Park Clients Are Saying About 3rd Coast Salon

Oak Park clients who make the trip to River North for 3rd Coast consistently come back for the same reasons: the team listens, the results are consistent, and the experience feels personal every time.

One client described it as one of the most incredible salon experiences they had ever had, calling the staff exceptional and the prices surprisingly reasonable for the level of quality. They specifically called out Kevin, Daniel, Natasha, and Marquita for their skills, customer service, and the way they made the client feel completely at ease. They called it arguably the best salon in the city.

Another client visited for the first time and had Diana handle a gloss service, walking through every step of the change and making sure the client was comfortable throughout. John followed with a haircut that left the client thrilled enough to start planning the next visit before they left.

A third client praised Phillip directly for going above and beyond on a haircut, taking his time, explaining every step, and teaching the client how to maintain a healthy scalp at home. They left feeling genuinely cared for by professionals who took their work seriously.

That is the experience Oak Park clients keep coming back for.

Book Your Appointment at 3rd Coast Salon

If you are in Oak Park and ready for color, a cut, extensions, a keratin treatment, or a conditioning service done at a level you cannot find locally, the next step is simple. Make the drive to River North once and you will understand why Oak Park clients keep coming back.

Book Your Appointment Now

Salon Location: 223 West Erie Street, Suite 1E, Chicago, IL 60654

Phone Number: +1 (312) 929-2627

Email us: Info@3rdcoastsalon.com

Hours

• Sun-Mon: Closed
• Tues-Fri: 10am-7pm
• Saturday: 9am-5pm

Service Areas We Proudly Serve

3rd Coast Salon is located in Chicago's River North neighborhood and proudly welcomes clients from Oak Park and the surrounding communities.

Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, Berwyn, Cicero, Elmhurst, Lombard, Westchester, Brookfield, La Grange, Maywood, Melrose Park, Bellwood, Stone Park, Hillside, and communities throughout Chicago's West Side and inner western suburbs. Clients also make the trip from Evanston, Wilmette, Skokie, Naperville, and across the broader Chicagoland area because the level of color, extension, and styling work at 3rd Coast is genuinely hard to find anywhere closer to home.

Your Best Hair Starts at 3rd Coast Salon

From rich, dimensional color built to hold through Chicago's demanding seasons to precision cuts, certified keratin treatments, scalp treatments, and extension installs done with real expertise, all delivered in a boutique suite in River North that Oak Park clients make the drive for again and again, 3rd Coast Salon is where Chicagoland comes when the result actually matters.

Phillip and the team built this place because Chicago deserved a salon where the work was done with intention, the consultations were real, and the experience felt personal every time. The clients who come in from Oak Park and keep coming back already know it.

They are right here on West Erie Street in River North, ready for your next appointment.

Book Your Appointment Now | Call +1 (312) 929-2627