A Hair Salon is a beauty and grooming service establishment that provides men, women, children and teens with various haircuts, styling, coloring and chemical processes. Hairdressers, stylists and cosmetologists are the employees that specialize in these services. A salon may also offer nail care, skincare and massages.
Starting a Hair Salon requires significant startup costs including beauty supplies, equipment and furniture. Additional expenses include a POS system, business phone system and inventory. Financing options for a hair salon can be challenging because they are considered high-risk businesses by banks. Careful planning and preparation can help to minimize start-up expenses and set a new salon up for success.
The Types of Hair Salon
A hair salon can be classified based on whether or not they accept walk-ins and/or appointments, the staffing structure and the services offered. A salon can also be categorized by the color or process they specialize in, such as ombre, highlights or Brazilian Blowouts.
Walk-in salons are staffed by salaried hair stylists that work set hours or by independent hair stylists who pay booth rent and take walk-in clients on their own time. If a client arrives at a salon during business hours and there are no available stylists, they will be required to wait in the waiting area until one becomes available.
Appointment-only salons are usually booked weeks or months in advance, and the stylists may have a set schedule that they follow. This is ideal for clients who have a stylist preference or know what services they would like to receive in advance. Hair Salon