Barbers shops in airports, would it be financially feasible?

Barbers shops in airports, would it be financially feasible?

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Discussion

tescorank

Original Poster:

1,985 posts

230 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
A friend came up with the idea (and that's where it will end) in conversation and I can see the logic, business person at airport needs a wet shave, quick haircut and massage say £50 or just a haircut £30, basically a premium service for the time poor...any hairdressers or pistonhead directors like to air their views.

Thankyou4calling

10,595 posts

172 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Always good to hear new ideas and initiatives but thus one won't work for me.

Rents at airports are high and I mean HIGH, often linked to turnover and they will want a strong covenant before leasing space.

The shop would need a very high end fit out and that would cost, all will need to be approved by the airport.

Let's say you climb all these hurdles and get open.

The price you propose rules out 99% of the people passing by, the remaining percentage who can afford are in private lounges which offer plenty of massage and relaxation already.

Now, I'm a number 2/3 clippers man so not well placed to comment on men's hair cutting but even as a distress purchases £30 sounds high particularly as most won't have the time to relax and enjoy, if that's the right word, the experience.

I've seen a few shoe polishing units at airports. Lower price than you are proposing and cheaper god the customer, tat might be worth investigating but the hair dressers is a non starter.

Miguel Alvarez

4,944 posts

169 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
I would have thought having a load of sharp objects lying around gate side would have been a big no no. That and it's not like a diner where you can cook for multiple people at a time. You'd need a tonne of chairs with lots of barbers sat around likely doing nowt most of the time or a few chairs and a risk of people sitting for an hour waiting then leaving as their gate is announced.

Could work but coupled with the lease costs as mentioned above I'd say no.




ETA

Ignore the sharp objects bit. Just had my first morning coffee and am thinking a bit more now. Food places have knifes so it might not be as much of an issue.



Edited by Miguel Alvarez on Thursday 25th September 08:50

tobinen

9,182 posts

144 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Or to look at it another way, what about angling it as 'treat me' time, a luxury for those with 2 hours to kill before boarding who fancy a spruce-up?

I've only been in a BA lounge and I saw no haircutting or shaving offered.

trumptriple

202 posts

130 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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Personally I'd never have time for a haircut at an airport, I always seem to be too paranoid about the time.

evenflow

8,784 posts

281 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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Personally I wouldn't want to sit on a flight covered in bits of hair with an itchy shirt collar

JJ55

649 posts

114 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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I think it's actually a really nice idea but as others have said the rent would be a killer

CRB14

1,493 posts

151 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Luxury barber shops appear, to me at least, to be going through a bit of a surge at the moment. There are a couple of newish ones in Manchester city centre. They are charging £25 a go. My first thought on hearing this was 'holy hell' however I have tried one of them and can say that the service you get in these places is way better than the £5 specials you get. You ultimately get what you pay for, which is the barber's time.

What's more, there's a constant queue on weekends from the moment they open which is why I stopped going.

The newest is Barber Barber in the Barton Arcade. If you search there are a number of articles written about the owner. It seems to be very 'in trend' and something I could definitely see as being popular in a smaller airport such as Manchester or Stanstead to serve the Ibiza / Marbella brigade and their weird haircuts. Oh and beards. People are spending £25 to have beards cut!!!

As mentioned above airport security would be a big hurdle.

6th Gear

3,561 posts

193 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
evenflow said:
Personally I wouldn't want to sit on a flight covered in bits of hair with an itchy shirt collar
This.

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

238 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
6th Gear said:
evenflow said:
Personally I wouldn't want to sit on a flight covered in bits of hair with an itchy shirt collar
This.
Yup, this.

Plus I always have my hair cut just before I go away.

[/Tourist]

Phil Dicky

7,162 posts

262 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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On top of the expensive rent and rates don't forget excessive staffing costs. I would imagine the airports will dictate that when they are open so are all the concessions.

Justin Cyder

12,624 posts

148 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Thankyou4calling said:
Rents at airports are high and I mean HIGH, often linked to turnover and they will want a strong covenant before leasing space.
This is the truth I reckon. In a former life, I worked for the Body Shop & chatting with the F.D. we got on to the subject of airport stores & he said because of the rents & turnover contributions they made a loss or broke even at best on the London airports & only maintained them for prestige & marketing reasons.

Foliage

3,861 posts

121 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
I saw a nail bar (when women get their nails painted and what not) at manchester airport a couple of weeks ago, thought it was an unusual and good idea, i can see a male version of it (hot towel shave, nails tidying, shoes cleaning etc paired up with sales of mid-high range male personal products) being a good idea but the hair cutting perhaps not.

ETA - see 'The Valet' in london for the USP's

Edited by Foliage on Thursday 25th September 09:35

SwissJonese

1,393 posts

174 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
There is a hairdressers in Zurich airport. It was in the main shopping section before going through to boarding, always seemed to be busy. Problem is how would you cope with all the different languages spoken?

CRB14

1,493 posts

151 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Foliage said:
I saw a nail bar (when women get their nails painted and what not) at manchester airport a couple of weeks ago, thought it was an unusual and good idea, i can see a male version of it (hot towel shave, nails tidying, shoes cleaning etc paired up with sales of mid-high range male personal products) being a good idea but the hair cutting perhaps not.

ETA - see 'The Valet' in london for the USP's

Edited by Foliage on Thursday 25th September 09:35
Blokes have their nails done?

Dr Interceptor

7,743 posts

195 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
It's a good idea... as a business owner who is often working right up to the minute before I set off for the airport, I struggle to squeeze in a hair cut prior. I'd pay £30 at the airport without any qualms - I don't fly business class, I'm in the regular terminal.

I wouldn't worry about being itchy either, if you provide a hot flannel after the haircut to wipe the face/neck, that alleviates a lot of the itchiness.

I think the sharp objects thing might be an issue though... when you go for breakfast, you usually get given a blunt as fk safety knife that cant even cut the rind on bacon.

Worth drawing up a feasibility study into the rent costs, fit out costs, staffing costs, and then how many bums you'd need in your chairs to make it work.






Foliage

3,861 posts

121 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Dr Interceptor said:
I think the sharp objects thing might be an issue though... when you go for breakfast, you usually get given a blunt as fk safety knife that cant even cut the rind on bacon.
Yeah but the kitchens must have knives and stuff in them.

GT03ROB

13,207 posts

220 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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Going through airports frequently I think it's a damn good idea, however as a business probably not so good.

Dr Interceptor

7,743 posts

195 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Foliage said:
Yeah but the kitchens must have knives and stuff in them.
True... but flyers don't have access to the kitchen. In a barbers shop, the tools are all there within easy reach.

CRB14

1,493 posts

151 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
quotequote all
Could they not just be made to use round tipped scissors?

Edit; I don't see why a pair of scissors would be any more dangerous than, say, a broken glass bottle?