sunkissed920

I originally was going to be just mobile. However, I have been thinking about possibly renting a storefront downtown. Great size, location, and price. I live in a very small town and would do a lot of driving if I did mobile but would only go within a 20 mile radius. There are very few places that offer this in a salon and and don't know any that are mobile. Would really like to be the first to make a big name for myself in this business around here. Just not sure which way to start out??? The gas driving around would equal my store rent about $250.00 (cheap I know for rent). I know both are tax write offs but not sure I want the wear and tear on the main family vehicle not to mention my time spent driving. I really like the location downtown and would be ideal. Should I wait until I get a clientele built up and risk prime location before opening a store?? Or start at a location with no clientele and offer mobile but only for tanning parties where it's worth the traveling??? If I did store front, spray tan is the only thing I would offer but the building has lots of room to expand as later done the road I might consider offering nail service. (of course I would attend a beauty school for this.) ANY advice would be great!!!

eileen

I can tell you if it were me I would go for the storefront. You will have a lot more expenses however and your schedule will not be as flexible.

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

sunkissed920

Thanks for the reply Eileen but what are your reasons for saying to go storefront? Was wondering the pro/cons of both other than what I could come up with from people who are actually doing either. Is it foolish to start at a store only doing spray tan (not a salon and wouldn't have tanning beds) with no clientele?? I have several ways I'm looking to market and draw in customers either way. Just curious on everyone thoughts.

eileen

I offer mobile but the clients prefer coming to the salon. I have a lot of add-ons at the salon to make it more attractive. I have started to advertise mobile the past weeks. I'll see how it goes but all the phone calls so far still make an appointment to come in. I think if you are aggressive you will build clientele before you can get your doors open. Check out kggonline she moved into a spray tan only salon. I think FrankSalas might be good to talk to as well. :)

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

kggonline

Hey there

Ill be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about mobile vs. storefront

Eileen is totally spot on about the fact that when you have a central location you are able to offer more services and options that you tend to forget; or by the time youre all set up in someones home youre too hurried to even get to introducing clients to back bar and tanning tx;s


okay ... mobile vs. storefront.

no matter what youre gonna have expenses.... personally for me I just couldnt to the mobile anymore and sufficiently service my client base the way I wanted to. I always wanted to offer upscale sunless tanning services... and frankly youre very limited to 'upscale' in a pure mobile biz environment.

the wear and tear on my car wasnt worth it gas, oil changes (i have an imported car and oil changes run 80.00 so every 6 weeks id be shelling that out) id rather put the 80 to utilities...

I evolved into a studio / storefront because I new if I wanted to be serious about my biz and offer the best sunless tanning services in the area, i had to! I can spray tan up to 20 people in a day if i needed to in my studio, in a mobile environment thats impossible. And for me the demand was getting so busy that in a mobile environment I couldnt keep pace.

Tanning parties? yeah BUT guess what? my clients and potential clients want to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!!! .. so i have those parties at my studio...
most of my clients come in feeling rushed, tired, haggered.... I made my studio a relaxing escape from reality...

i make everyone sit in the lobby relax unwind and enjoy their tan time....you cant do that in someones house... most are relieved they out of the house away from the kids and hubby.... my male clients stick around sometimes (i think hoping to scope the chicks) but .... i love it ... clients are great ...atmosphere is awesomely positive and sunny...

i love my storefront love my area, and wouldnt go back to mobile...

you should even look into opening a uv/sunless studio..

i wouldve but i ny it was almost impossible to get insurance if i got a uv bed :( !!!!

good luck and pm me if you have an ?s

kgg

tintmobile

Just have to put my two cents in here. You say you are in a small town. I think you are taking a really big unnecessary risk by going the storefront route right now. You are assuming that you are going to have a ton of business right away. That may not be the case. I can speak from experience. I live in a fairly small town in DE and (as of right now) am the only mobile sprayer. In this area, sunless hasn't caught on yet like it as in other areas. Here, when you say sunless tan, they automatically think of Mystic Tan. They have no idea what airbrush tans are.
If it were me, I'd definitely build up clientele first before even thinking about storefront. The costs of gas and keeping your car maintained are very little compared to what you will be putting out if you have very little business in your store.

eileen

If you go in with an attitude you will have very little business then that's what your result will be IMO. You will not have the advantage of all the add on sales and growth that comes with having a location.

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

eileen

$250 a month rent?? One day of sprays would more then cover that cost alone.... but DO NOT do $25 sprays!

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

tintmobile

"If you go in with an attitude you will have very little business then that's what your result will be IMO."

Sorry to inform you that when I started my business I DIDN'T go in with that attitude...otherwise I wouldn't have started a business at all. But my reality is that I am in an area where its just not that popular. And don't try to tell me in your next post that I am just not marketing properly, not putting in effort, etc...

Sunless is not popular everywhere yet, some places are still catching on. (And, please don't give me that "slower, lower" remark either).

Sunkissed920...just be sure that before you invest in a storefront, that you will have good results with it.

BoHo Tanner

I am thinking of opening a store front 3 days a week Th,Fri,and Sat. and being mobile the first part of the week. Small town also,and folks like to be ready for the weekend.

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Joan