It’s been building up popularity for years now, but some states have denied the consumer driven trend of mobile hairdressing based on flimsy rules around licensing in their states. As of last month, the State of Massachusetts knocked down previous barriers to mobile hairdressing, allowing licensed barbers, cosmetologists, hairdressers, manicurists, and others who fall under the purview of the state Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering to take their talents on the road.
For years stylists in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and New York have been catering to the rich and famous within the privacy of hotel rooms and decadent homes. But in the age of instafamous and reality TV, the line between us and the famous seems to be closing in and the demand for beauty services in a 2 bedroom apartment is burgeoning with services like Glamsquad picking up popularity in metro areas and Dry Bar even started offering blow drys ‘On the Fly‘ back in 2015. Even massage therapists are organizing behind the mobile trend with apps like Pure Knead and Soothe.
So how is it impacting the established salon or spa business? Maybe not much, depending on where you are, but the trend has been bubbling under the surface in many metropolitan cities so it’s likely spread to an area near you. In fact, many ISBN members have sniffed out the demand for mobile services and started offering special occasion styling on-site a few years ago. Wedding parties have long been a drain on the salon on the weekend, so a great way to max out your staff roster without limiting yourself to the number of chairs in the salon is to offer on-site services (at a premium) for the bridal party. Some of our guy groups also cater to the groomsmen with a mobile grooming bus that makes sure the groom is looking on pointe as well.
How have you updated your service menu to appeal to the younger ‘come to me’ generation?
