I've always had a great experience at Walk With Scissors in Middletown. If you're looking for an…read moreaffordable haircut without sacrificing quality, this is a fantastic option. What makes this place special: Very affordable pricing thanks to the student stylists. Instructor oversight and check-ins throughout the service, giving you peace of mind while helping students learn and gain experience. A true win-win experience--you get a great haircut at a lower cost while supporting the next generation of hair professionals. Experience with different hair types, which is especially valuable. As someone who is Asian with thick, straight hair, I've been consistently happy with the results and appreciate that students get exposure to a variety of hair textures and styles. Pro tip: Treat yourself to a mini facial or scalp massage. It's incredibly relaxing and turns a simple haircut into a self-care experience. Overall, Walk With Scissors is a hidden gem. The combination of affordability, instructor-guided student stylists, and excellent customer care keeps me coming back. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality haircut while supporting students as they develop their skills.

Stella did an amazing job. The cut is clean, sharp, and exactly what I wanted. Honestly, it's a 5…read more But I told her I'd only give her a 4.5, so I'm sticking to that. 4.5

I would like to give a big "thank you" for my student stylist Genesis...she has taken my hair and…read morestyling to another level of originality. I love her work ethic and her friendly relaxing nature! She knows her job...understands her skills and is confident about making suggestions to you. I have had exceptional hair care at Empire Beauty School these past 4 years. Shout out to Ms. Steel who always sets me up with a stylist who can hear my voice! Abenáa

My hairdresser, Faith, who had to leave after she put foils in. Hope everything is ok. My…read morehighlights turned out beautifully! Faith is more quiet than I like my stylist. I like to talk the time away! Stevie finished me with toner and a cut. She was very friendly and held a conversation. She asked for help along the way from the instructor. But, I left the shop feeling like a new me. Mission accomplished! My experience with the program in whole has been positive. The girls are always friendly and want to please. And you can't beat the prices especially in this economy!!

I graduated from Annie's Beauty Academy (esthetics program) on December 9, 2025. It is difficult to…read moreexpress just how much I loved my experience at this school and my appreciation for Mrs. Anntoinette Bellamy and her dedicated and professional team of instructors. From my very first interaction with Miss Bellamy during my tour of the school, I felt immediately comfortable and welcome. She was upfront and honest regarding the school's culture which is one that is focused on respect, learning, solid work ethic, and team work among its students and staff. The school itself was neat, clean, and stylish. She is an extremely caring director and instructor and wants to help everyone succeed, but she also holds the students accountable to industry standards of skills, technique, and health and safety practices. The program is designed to not just get students to a passing grade on the State Board licensing exam, but to ace the exam with a 90% or higher and walk away having truly learned and retained knowledge that is critical to a successful career in the beauty industry. From an education standpoint, I have learned so much. I came in with no prior beauty experience and feel I was provided with so much opportunity to learn and practice the skills I will need for my career. You only need 300 hours to take the Board exam, but the program is 400 hours to ensure students get extra learning and clinical time. The esthetics program is about 3 months long, and in that small amount of time Annie's packs in as much learning as possible. There is a lot to accomplish within that time frame, but if you work hard and manage your time the way the instructors guide you, you can get it all done on time. Throughout the entire program, Miss Bellamy really drills you on infection control and cleanliness and stresses the importance of these topics both within the school and in future work environments. Even though it's 100% on the students to clean and disinfect all treatment rooms, work stations, classrooms, and reception areas within the school (literally it's Board-mandated), nearly every day I saw Miss Bellamy staying after school hours to walk through and make sure all cleaning duties were completed to Board standards. If cleaning wasn't up to par, we would have a class discussion on what we needed to do better. Needless to say, cleanliness and sanitation is a high-priority matter at Annie's! Annie's would not be the success that it is without the instructional leadership of Miss Bellamy who is backed by instructors Hannah Medellin, Megan Brillhart, Carrie Pena, and Frankie Byrd. Even with their experience and knowledge, the instructors are not above switching tactics if their teaching style is not working for a student. In my experience, there was a time when a teaching method or communication style was not resonating with myself or other students, and after sharing my feedback with Miss Bellamy, changes were made to better accommodate our needs. The door was always kept wide open for students to share any concerns they may have had, and they were always immediately addressed by Miss Bellamy and brought to resolution. This is a rare thing to see in any professional setting, and it speaks volumes to the character and integrity of the instructors of this school and their desire to prioritize their students. From a personal experience standpoint, it was bittersweet to finally graduate. I am excited and confident to begin my career with everything I have learned at Annie's, but I am so sad to not see my classmates and the instructors every day. For probably the first time in my life, I was excited to wake up every morning to go to school, put the work in, and work alongside my classmates. I developed close friendships and connections that I will carry with me long after Annie's of which I am so incredibly grateful. From my first meeting with Miss Bellamy, she shared that the school is based on Christian faith and values and this was very much a part of the school's culture. The faith aspect played a large role in creating a positive environment, and I believe it (for the most part) attracts students with similar values and beliefs that help foster this positive environment. This does not mean students are forced to pray or believe in a certain God or anything like that. Morning prayer and mindset was just focused on positive thinking, praying for the wellbeing of loved ones who were going through difficult times, trusting God's plan and whatever process that may entail, and showing up as kind and hard working individuals for ourselves and others. Thank you Annie's Beauty Academy for everything you have given me. Truly a life changing experience that I will forever be thankful for.

I'm writing this as someone who finished the esthetics program at this school -- You deserve the…read moretruth before you make a decision that affects your time, money, and sanity. This program has no structure. Schedules change constantly, rules shift, and students are scolded for not knowing the newest expectations. This came directly from Mrs. Bellamy, who acts as owner, director, and teacher. Your time will be wasted every single morning. We waited at least 30 minutes every day for Mrs. Bellamy so the day could start. Then we lost even more time to prayer and long conversations (that I was told in my tour were not mandatory but were) that often dragged an hour into our day. In a clock-hour program, that's unacceptable. And her mood set the tone for the entire class. I witnessed bullying -- from the person running the program. One student was singled out constantly, humiliated in front of others, denied hands-on opportunities, and held to expectations no one else had to meet. It wasn't "encouraging potential." It was mistreatment, plain and simple. There was also a clear difference in how students were treated based on racial background. It was obvious enough that I was not the only one who noticed. The learning environment was chaotic. Classes were crammed into one loud room with students of all levels. There was nowhere to study quietly, and nowhere to take tests without distraction. Sanitation was disturbing. Multiple times, students found blood on the bathroom toilet seats -- with no disinfectant in sight. Deep cleaning wasn't handled by staff. Students were blamed for messes even when the duties weren't legally ours. It was unsafe and unprofessional. Safety issues were ignored or blamed on students. Chemical burns, lifted skin, irritation -- several students experienced these while following instructions exactly as taught. Instead of reviewing the teaching or taking responsibility, the blame was pushed onto the students every time. Mistakes made by staff were also blamed on students. Wax pots set too hot, forgotten schedules, disorganized responsibilities -- somehow all turned into student errors. I watched classmates cry from being unfairly scolded. I had my own experience as well. Mrs. Bellamy applied soft wax to the same patch of my skin three times -- something she repeatedly taught us never to do. When I questioned it, she dismissed me with, "I'm a professional. I can do this but you can't." My skin hurt for days, and she treated me differently for weeks afterward. The biggest contradiction of all was her preaching versus her behavior. Daily prayer and talk of kindness and Christian values, followed by actions that were dismissive, unprofessional, and often hurtful. It was exhausting to witness. I'm writing this honest review because I wish I would've had an honest review like this to consider when I was touring this school. As students, we are pressured to write our reviews of the school in the first week of school, before any of this came to light. I can now write this review without the fear of retaliation, as I am now graduated. I wouldn't recommend this school to anyone -- not someone I care about, not a stranger, not anyone. No one deserves to learn in an environment that's disorganized, unsafe, or emotionally damaging. If you're touring, take this seriously. You deserve a school that actually teaches, supports, and respects you. Respectfully, A former student telling you the truth I wish someone had told me. -Alaina N.

I got the best European Facial! I would go there anytime. The girl was very nice and…read moreprofessional. I left my necklace there and she called me right away, which is nice because the necklace is very special to me.

very poor education, if your thinking about attending this school. don't. i was here for 5 months…read moreand learned absolutely nothing in my curriculum. debbie, the main person, chases people down for their tuition but is never at the school that she supposedly runs. i was excited to start esthetician school to move on and get my license. but this school made it dreadful and made me second guess my career choice. every girl that you'll meet in the school will tell you it is terrible and a big waste of money. there has been much trouble with debbie forgetting about payments and telling girls they owe more than they do. she isn't suited to run this school, she doesn't keep up with anything that we are learning and when she is there she's talking about her childhood and where and how she grew up. in my opinion that is not school related and that is NOT what i spent my money on. it is a total waste of money and your time. i highly suggest looking into a different school if you are considering this one.

Hair services and eyebrow waxing services are affordable and well done. Nails are lacking due to…read moreminimal supplies. I recently went for a mani/pedi since I had gotten my hair cut there a few times and was satisfied with that. I paid $34 for the mani/pedi combo and they didn't even have a pedicure station...I had to put my feet on the girl's lap as she did them. Would definitely go for hair/waxing again, but not nails!

I am a recent graduate from Empire Beauty Schools and I wouldn't have chosen a different school, no…read morematter what state I live in. I'm from Georgia, and would have went to the same school there, but life circumstances led me here, and I am glad I went. Even with carpooling from Lewistown, once I got there, I found girls that I could ride home with, that lived in my area and we are still friends today. The staff is wonderful. Mrs. Natali is a great classroom instructor and if she doesn't know the answer, which isn't very likely, she will always make sure she finds it for you. Ms. Stacie is very knowledgable in the business aspect of the industry and can definately further your knowledge in the advanced methods that she teaches. She's very verbal with her explanations and in-depth as well. Mrs. Leah, coming through the school's education system, is now the salon floor instructor, which fits her bill. She stays up in all the latest and newest hair trends and will explore all those possibilities with her hands-on approach to learning. Mrs. Lorri, as the Executive Director, has all the knowledge of her staff, wrapped into one. She's been in the business for at least two decades and has worked in both Lewistown and State College, giving her the best idea in ways to continue not just your career but your education. Also, Mr. Schoeneman has a dedication to his students and staff by providing different workshops and Expo's, including the one that brings together all 103 offiliated schools together for competition and school spirit. Overall, I feel like I came for an education and left with a career and a life-long extended family. I LOVE what we do at Empire Beauty School!!

Don't attend. Students speculate they steal hours so you have to pay out of pocket overtime. Easily…read moreadding up hundreds to thousands of dollars. Teachers are rude and unprofessional. There were many days there wasn't even a teacher that showed up and of course we still have to pay for that day while receiving zero education. Very unorganized. And overheard them telling Spanish speaking students to speak only English in the school. Just a small taste of discrimination that I heard everyday while attending.

The students and management here are very nice & professional.They have great prices on a bunch of…read moreservices on their menu.Highly recommended.

From the owner: Empire Beauty School is one of the largest providers of cosmetology education in the United States…read more Our cosmetology program provides you with an education in Hair, Nails, Skincare, and Makeup as well as hands on training in a real world student salon. As part of our curriculum, you will also learn how to market yourself, run the front desk of a salon, manage salon product inventory and build your book of business by attracting and retaining loyal clients. Do you have a passion for Beauty? Contact our Empire Beauty School in Lebanon, PA today to see how YOU could be a part of something truly remarkable. We can't wait to meet you!

I visit Altoona 3 days a month for work. I stopped in TSPA for a much needed haircut. The front…read moredesk person at the Hampton Inn said she goes there and loves it. The school/salon is the nicest salon I have ever visited in all my years. The place is breath taking. I was greeted by a very pretty young woman at the front desk. (Extremely professional)She asked what type of service I wanted and told her I needed a haircut. She then proceeded to walk me over to the styling area. OMG what beautiful styling stations. I proceeded to get a great haircut. I had no idea the girl that cut my hair was a student. She was a pro... like she was cutting hair for years. The stylist/student talked me into my first spray tan. They have an amazing room with this beautiful machine that sprays you and makes you look like you spent a week in the Caribbean. Quick and easy. Had an overall great experience from the moment I walked in the door. I have been back at least 6 times. I had the pleasure to meet the owner this past visit. She gave me the whole story on how her parents started the business like 30+ years ago. She was sweeping the hair of the floors when she was 4 year old. She knows the importance of her students graduating and getting placed into a great job. Crazy passion for the industry she grew up in. Great lady, great place. Cant wait to get back for my monthly tune-up... *****5 Star's all the way across the board.

I was just here tonight and I had a girl cut my hair with long blonde hair! I didn't get her name…read more She didn't tell me and the name was not on the receipt like I was hoping, but she was a total bitch and she was snotty and every time I tried to strike up a conversation or I asked her to trim a little more off in a certain area she's got a bad attitude about it and very huffy! I will NOT be back here ever again!! I have been a very loyal customer and you have just lost one of your frequent customers!!

Came here for a work event where we participated in the cooking experience. It was a great…read moreexperience. Our group was about 20 people which was pretty large. We were able to cook a full 3 course meal. The staff were very attentive and pleasant. I would certainly do this again. Also the store overall is amazingly stocked with everything you need for your kitchen. Its an at home chef's dream, and a Big Green Egg lover's heaven. Nearly every accessory and kitchen need is there.

This review is for a visit on a Friday in mid May. We've been coming to Kitchen Shoppe off and on…read morefor at least ten years and the selection remains marvelous. service: Staff is extremely knowledgeable. There are a number of stations - olive oil, knife sharpening, coffee - and the staff can assist anywhere. selection: Impressive selection of enameled and cast iron cookware near the front. The olive oil options earn special mention. We needed an ice cream scoop and a flour sifter. Who knew there were dozens of each to choose from? Don't miss the impressive array of knifes. Also thought the wall of syrup and honey was well curated. High marks for charcoal, wood, smokers, grills, and accessories. details: The shop rambles through two or three different rooms. Give yourself time, you're going to want it. Plenty of parking right outside. Be sure to use your GPS, shop not visible from Harrisburg Pike.