Money Piece Highlights in Bucktown, Chicago

Bucktown sits just north of Wicker Park, between Western and the Kennedy Expressway, with the 606 trail cutting along the south edge and Holstein Park at its center. The Bucktown Pub area on Damen is the unofficial center of social life. The clients we see from Bucktown skew a touch younger and a touch more residential than the Wicker Park crowd next door. Young families, young professionals, creatives who have moved one neighborhood north as they settle in.

Why Bucktown residents book money piece highlights at 3rd Coast Salon

Money piece is the most-requested color service from our Bucktown clients. The reason is specific to this neighborhood's demographic. Bucktown skews young, but not in the early-twenties bar-night way. Most of our Bucktown clients are in their late twenties to mid-thirties, settled into careers, maybe buying their first place near the 606. They want a noticeable change to their look but they are not in a season of life where a full head of highlights makes financial or scheduling sense.

A money piece solves that. Two face-framing pieces, hand-painted by Kevin, give you a visible color shift every time you look in the mirror, without committing to the 8-week maintenance cycle of full highlights. The investment is smaller. The appointment is shorter. The grow-out is gentle enough that you can stretch refresh appointments to 12 or 14 weeks. For a Bucktown client juggling a 2-year-old at Holstein Park and a return-to-office schedule, that math works.

The other Bucktown-specific factor is style direction. The neighborhood has its own aesthetic, more residential and less performative than the bars in Wicker Park, but still creative-forward compared to Lincoln Park or Old Town. Bucktown money pieces tend to land brighter and more dramatic than what we paint for a Gold Coast client. Kevin reads the room. He'll pull the brightness up a level or two on a Bucktown client who shows him a saved Instagram inspiration grid.

Our money piece highlights process

A money piece appointment runs 90 minutes to 2 hours. The first 15 minutes are consultation. Kevin looks at your existing color, hair texture, and where the brightest pieces should sit relative to your face shape. He paints the pieces freehand, processes under low heat, then tones at the bowl. We finish with a cut, blow-out, and style.

Bucktown clients typically refresh every 10 to 14 weeks. We can stretch that with a gloss-only visit at the midpoint, which keeps the brightness fresh without redoing the lift.

Stylist spotlight: Kevin

Kevin is our color anchor and the stylist most Bucktown clients book for money piece work. His placement is what makes the difference. A money piece painted in the wrong spot reads patchy. Painted in the right spot, it reads intentional. Kevin spends time at the consultation looking at where your hair naturally falls across your face when you're standing, sitting, and tilting your head down at a phone. The pieces land where light catches them in real life, not just under the salon's lights.

Getting to 3rd Coast Salon from Bucktown

From most of Bucktown, the fastest route is rideshare. Trip time runs 12 minutes from Holstein Park or the Damen and North Avenue area. By transit, the Blue Line from Damen runs to Clark/Lake in 8 minutes, then walk north 7 minutes to Erie. We are at 223 W Erie Street, Suite 1E in River North.

Who this isn't for

If you want full all-over highlights or a head of dimensional balayage, a money piece is too small a service. If your hair is currently a dark single-process box dye, Kevin will recommend pre-lightening or removal before he paints the pieces. If you've never had any color before and you want the first move to be dramatic, a money piece may not satisfy. Kevin will tell you that at the consultation.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a money piece appointment take?

90 minutes to 2 hours including consultation, painting, processing, toning, and finish.

How do I get to 3rd Coast Salon from Bucktown?

Rideshare from Holstein Park or the Damen and North Avenue area takes about 12 minutes. By transit, Blue Line from Damen to Clark/Lake (8 minutes), then walk 7 minutes north to Erie Street.

How often do I need to refresh a money piece?

Every 10 to 14 weeks. A mid-cycle gloss can stretch that out.

Will money piece work on dark hair?

Yes, with adjusted lift. Kevin will tell you the realistic brightness level your hair can hit in one session.

Can I go brighter than a money piece?

Yes. If you decide later you want full highlights or balayage, we can build off the existing money piece placement at your next appointment.

Does a money piece damage my hair?

The damage footprint is small because we are only lifting two face-framing sections. We use Olaplex in every lightener mix.

What does a money piece cost at 3rd Coast Salon?

Pricing starts at consultation rate and depends on length and density. Kevin gives the full quote at the consultation before any product is mixed.

Can I get a money piece on the same day as a haircut?

Yes. Book them as one combined appointment so we can sequence them properly.

Book your appointment. Book online or call (312) 929-2627.