Specialty Salon or Full Service salon?

[Anna from Toronto]

I see a lot of "specialty" places popping up.
From Blo Bar (blowdys only) - blo blow dry bar | north america's original blow dry bar
color bars (specializing in colors only - ColourLabSalon.ca
to wax bars - Waxon | Our Wax
and brow/lash bars - myncbeauty

I wonder... what really IS better for business? I see the benefits of specializing- less (or 1 type) equipment, experienced staff, faster service (lots of experience)= more services per day... easier branding maybe? More "clear" direction?
I also see benefits of full service salons- "one stop shop", more traditional approach. People come for hair, notice a busy nail tech, they give them a chance... etc

Personally I think I would rather go to a specialty place. I would be under impression that staff would be more knowledgable because they specialize in that particular treatment.
I would expect a faster service (after if that's all you do all day- you become fast) and often these places are walk in type and have extended hours (because they have a team of pros on site) and the prices there are quite reasonable. I'm not saying cheap, but I don't feel that they are overpriced.

After all when I want sushi- I go to a sushi place (instead of buying it in a supermarket) and if I want a good cappuccino I don't go to McDonalds.
But then again supermarkets are full of everything from milk to cleaning supplies to.. nail polish

So I do wonder if these type of places are a fad?
I wonder who actually makes better money- the full service salons or specialty places?

Have you ever wondered? What do you think...?

 

[noreenoconnor]

There seems to be craze in Ireland for these speciality salons too, I think it makes sense , you would expect someone to be better if there are just doing the one job all day than doing several.

However, I think it also suits people to get a few things done under the one roof. I think what will be really popular is a salon who has a specialist for certain areas , i.e brow specialist , nail specialist. But also offers a full service menu best of both worlds

 

[pinkthistle]

I know locally the "beauty" speciality salons are based on what short courses are available, so rather than spend years at college the girls do a one day course in say "definition brows" and open up with that... Then add lashes or nails or tanning etc as and when.
Actually annoys me..to specialise I feel you should at least have experienced other methods and be really good and made the choice based on experiences... Too many courses popping up on groupon etc with no prior knowledge needed.
I had one such nail "specialist" come into me in a panic asking why her acetone based polish remover was melting the clients tips and the plastic bowl!