Opening a blow dry bar

[sassystylist25]

I have recently enquired about renting a space in a shopping outlet. There is loads of free parking, over 50 designer shops, 5 restaurants, as well as a cinema in the vicinity!!

It's been on my mind a lot lately how well a blow dry bar and nail bar would do there, just offering blow dries with no appointments necessary, a small nail bar offering manicures & gel polish, you know just quick small services and retailing professional products.

My only worry is employing staff. The outlet is open mon-fri 9am-8pm and saturdays & sundays 9am-6pm.
I would need a decent amount of staff to do all these hours.

But would stylists and beauticians feel 'bored' and lose touch with their qualifications if they're only blow drying and doing manicures day in day out? I worry that I'd have a high staff turnover if they don't feel challenged.

I don't think its the type of place that would benefit from a full on hair salon offering everything.

Is this a good idea, or a crap one?
Or more hassle than worth?

 

[shaw]

I've no experience with hair but there is a blow dry salon in the shopping centre near me. The place is always packed and busy every day, including Sundays. They also offer gel polish and that's also busy.

 

[BannerPenguin]

Just remember, with shopping centres come huge bills!

 

[Kate Bruno]

I work in a blow dry bar 2 days a week and then do mobile hair for 4 days. So maybe you could have a few part timers instead so they won't get bored. I go there for a break from driving round all the time. Also if you offer hair ups too then it's a bit more variety to break the day up xx

 

[sassystylist25]

Just remember, with shopping centres come huge bills!

I was thinking the exact same. I have a feeling the rent would be astronomical!!

 

[RED STAR]

The rent will be high.
I can see the potential, but staffing it IMO, will be a problem.
It's sooo very hard to get staff....so many work mobile, or from their home nowadays.

If your busy, which is the plan, you'll need plenty of staff!
You'll need to be competitive with other salons, who's overheads will probably be lower than yours.

Your staff, if all goes well will be busy bee's.
As such they will expect a decent commission on top of their hourly rate.
This will then again, eat into any profit you might gain from the high footfall.

I think these negative points are why, for the most part, the only hair/beauty businesses you see in such places, are the branded names.

 

[xXcharleyXx]

Why not open as a full service salon, walk in only (think Supercuts but better) have a dedicated Blowdry bar and nail area and always keep one or two persons dedicated to just this area for a set number of hours each day and try make a feature out of it and really push that, but be able to offer the extras as some clients will go out for a day of shopping and think Ooh I'll have my colour whilst there. You could even take appointments but always have somebody free for walk ins