Barbershop "Must have" Please read/help

[OldSaw]

I've got this empty commercial unit in a great location and a stepdaughter who wants to start her own business. I'm thinking it would be the perfect place for a mens' club/barber shop.

So what must a barber shop have?

My thoughts so far:

Pool table or foosball table
Dart board
Several TVs or one big screen
Comfy overstuffed chairs, NO couch
Humidor and smoking room, (no cigarettes)
Clipper cuts that are fast and low priced
Premium cuts, (scissors, straight razor, wash), reasonably priced
Free neck trims between premium cuts
Scalp massage
Shave & hair products
Membership program, (kind of like The 316 Club in Chicago)
Mens' magazines
Walk ins, (guys don't make appointments)
Energy drinks, etc. (no alcohol)
Evening and Saturday hours

I'd like to create an atmosphere that guys want to hang out in. You knock off from work and you know you need a haircut, but you hate going to the girlie salon, so you head over to the club, walk in grab a number and a magazine or maybe shoot some pool or catch up on the sports news on TV, when your number is called you get your specialized service and then maybe grab a cigar to smoke now or later on at home.

One thing I really hate after a cut is the prickly hairs that get into my shirt collar that pick the rest of the day until I get into the shower. I would like to have an area where you can take your shirt off and put on a shave garment that breathes. then after the cut the barber will lean you back into a hair wash sink and wash your head and shoulders to completely eliminate the prickly hair syndrome. Then you can put your shirt on and comfortably relax in the smoking room with a fine cigar or pipe and unwind before heading home.

I'm in the greater Green Bay, WI area. Population is about 200,000 for the county. As far as I know the closest place like this is in Appleton about 30 miles away.

Must cover minimum monthly expenses of:
Rent $1000
Utilities $300-400

Flexible and yet to be determined expenses:
Advertising
Wages/Commissions
Licensing
Build-out
Sign
Accounting
Inventory
Equipment
Furniture

What do you guys think. If you could get a quick cut for $12 and a premium cut for about $20 would you want to go to a place like this? How much would you pay for a shave? What kind of membership fee makes good sense? You business guys, could prices like this float the boat? Of course there will be product sales as well.

This is purely speculative at this point and depends entirely on someone else, (i.e. stepdaughter), to run and maintain the day to day business. I only want to front the operation not run it.

 

[tim8557]

I quit going to my $35 salon about 5 years ago because my schedule was changing so frequently, I had a hard time keeping appointments.

I stumbled one weekend into a Great Clips and got the $ 11 cut that was every bit as good as the $ 35 mentioned above sans the hairwash. I would have no problem with $ 12 for a cut and I usually tip $ 5. I do that now and there are none of the amenities you mention. Walk-In is a must for me.

My only question to you would be, what type of clippers cut Cheddar?

 

[teamacacia]

What do you guys think. If you could get a quick cut for $12 and a premium cut for about $20 would you want to go to a place like this? How much would you pay for a shave? What kind of membership fee makes good sense? You business guys, could prices like this float the boat? Of course there will be product sales as well.

I am no businessman and therefore cannot comment if your said prices would cover all expenses. That said, if I had access to this type of venue I'd be a regular customer in a heart beat. As of now, I tend to pay $15-20 plus a usual tip around $5 for a cut, wash, and condition. There are a few places around that offer straight shaves at around $8-10 if I remember correctly. Personally, for a good cut and wash I don't mind paying $20 or so and I wouldn't mind paying $8-15 for a shave. The atmosphere you envision sounds much mmore pleasing than the typical "salon" or even sport clips which trys to be a guy's haircut place...I just don't buy into the atmosphere and I stopped going after noticing the high turn-over rate in their stylists...it is nice to go back to the same person...kind of like continuity of care in medicine.

 

[Mr.Benn]

Must cover minimum monthly expenses of:
Rent $1000
Utilities $300-400

Flexible and yet to be determined expenses:
Advertising
Wages/Commissions
Licensing
Build-out
Sign
Accounting
Inventory
Equipment
Furniture

Don't overlook insurance (especially liability), as that's likely to be a major factor in your overhead.

 

[Ernie]

I'll look over your list later on in more detail, but I would like to point out that a great barbershop is great because of the service and its quality. Expertise is the name of the game.

 

[josef]

Everything sounds good , if you will find a good barbers that will know what they are doing and will be good at it .Cause all the other things are nice but ater all thats why people come in to the barber shop-to get a descent hair cut (or a shave)

 

[OldSaw]

Don't overlook insurance (especially liability), as that's likely to be a major factor in your overhead.

Excellent. How could I have missed that, my wife is an insurance agent so she will take care of that. Surprisingly barber/beauty insurance isn't that badly priced. We already have general liability on the property.

 

[_JP_]

All that I want from my local barber shop is to be able to get in and out quickly with a good cut. The one that I have been going to for the past 25 years does just that.

 

[rtaylor61]

When I was in high school, I worked for a local restaurant. At a very young age, I became the night manger (I was 16!). One day, a local newspaper advertiser came in and said "I can tell you how to make a million dollars". This was 1978 and I was now 17. The owner looked at me and asked "What do you think?" I asked the lady if SHE had a million dollars. Her response was "no". Take a deep breath and count to 10. Take a long hard look at the investment you are considering making. Folks here are very much into shaving and haircuts. Others are not. And whatever you think the investment will be to start such a venture, add 50%. Then decide if this if what you want to invest. "It can't miss" ventures close up shop everyday.

Randy