I've paid in that range for Khamit Kinks for baby curl twists (many times). It's an elite salon with elite stylists who sit with my hair for 6 hours and whose time is money and they deserve it because they deliver exponentially. The hair was premium quality and was great against my own hair and was re-used it maintained such amazing shape. Competition in NY on that level is what it is. Whether a white salon or black.
I don't want to deal with 'maybe the outcome will be as good as last time', or an illegal hole in the wall, or somebody's little cousin, or scalp pulling, being talked into 40 different services, a dusting turning into a trim, rude clients, inferior tools, toyokalon, attitude, someone who doesn't speak english, eats while in your head or doesn't accept CCs. I know I'm comparing the best to the worst, and there's a lot in between, where people like the service they get for cheaper even in NY. But talent costs and is worth money, and so is peace of mind and great service. The stylists are incredible and in-demand, appt are on time, in advance and the place in huge, clean and doesn't have people selling CDs or shrimp dinners, or stylists giving sermons, or gossiping or arguing with BFs, or high prices but 99cent conditioner or nowhere to secure my coat, or backed up plumbing and no toilet tisssue, or funky incense, or jacked up towels, or tatty smocks, or edgeless stylissts hiding bad hair under wigs, or taking 2 trains, 5 buses and a gypsy cab to get there and on and on.
I've been to horrible cheap salons, horrible expensive salons, great cheap salons and great expensive salons and either way when the service is bad Im angry, when its fantastic Im happy despite the price.