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by Michelle Z. Askeland
Beauty retailers – from traditional
spas to highly specialized niches – are
taking on a more dominant role in our
retail landscape as landlords look for
tenants that offer experiential retail
and insulation from e-commerce. And
these “beauty” retailers are respond-
ing and blossoming under this new
demand.
“You can’t go get your hair done,
your nails done or get a great workout
on and that’s why these
types of tenants are helping stabilize
projects that are otherwise hurting
because national retail has declined
so significantly,” said Laura Hansen, a
vice president at Legend Partners.
The beauty industry’s growth is
manifesting itself in several signifi-
cant ways – emphasizing specializa-
tion and unique atmospheres as
patrons seek opportunities to socialize
and congregate in these settings, and
expanding real estate needs as practi-
tioners opt for more independence in
their locations, availability and work
schedule.
While some forms of beauty retail
have always been a staple of shopping
centers – think nail salons – many are
adapting. For example, the nail salon
of choice used to be driven by location
and price: Where can I get this service
done most efficiently for a reasonable
price? Today, many consumers are in
search of a salon that offers the ser-
vice in a cool environment in addition
to a convenient location and price,
said John Livaditis, president of Axio
Commercial Real Estate.
In response to this shifting con-
sumer need, Colorado is witnessing
different beauty retailers specializing,
individualizing or diversifying. For
example, specialized services, such
as blowout bars, waxing salons and
men’s haircutting salons, are gaining
popularity in shopping centers and
malls in urban settings. As the num-
ber of specialized retailers increases,
the demand for ideal locations
increases as well. Most of these retail-
ers seek smaller floor plans, between
1,000 and 2,000 square feet.
Meanwhile, the uniqueness and
creativity of a salon’s environment is
Sola Salon Studios
Salon suites, such as Sola Salon Studios, are becoming a popular tenant for midsized retail spaces. Sola Salon typically leases 5,000-square-foot spaces, demises the spaces into 30 private
suites and rents the suites to salon practitioners.