Profile

When partners J.C. Mungia, Paul Andrew Torres, and Marylou Vasquez lost the investors behind their East Village salon in 2004, the native Texans and longtime friends packed up their cutting sheers—and a client list that stretched from Manhattan to Madrid—and relocated to this 400-square-foot Chelsea space. Freshly cut flowers hang on a purple brick wall along with photos of the staff, while six workstations, with large mirrors and movable black-leather chairs, occupy the main space; in the back sit a duo of shampoo sinks and a color station. Although Panyc (pronounced “panic”) is small and narrow, it never feels crowded, even when all the chairs are occupied. You can credit the vibe and a spirit of cooperation. The eleven “family members” (as Mungia calls her staff) often share clients: One may expertly trim your tresses; another will perform a stick-straight blowout (while you cuddle Peanut, a Dachshund who’s the unofficial mascot). Panyc is also a certified Nioxin salon, and staff can instruct clients with thinning hair on how to properly use the DHT-inhibiting hair-care system. — Lavinia Darcy