Industry Buzz: “I Want To Open A Salon In My Home.”

If “I want to open a salon in my home” has crossed your mind, you are not alone. For many salon pros, it’s an increasingly attractive option – especially as Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc on the hair, nail, and spa salon industry across the country.

In fact, here are just a few stories we’ve heard from salon pros who’ve made the move.

“Even after the stay-at-home orders lifted, I didn’t feel safe going to work in my old location whose lobby was publicly shared with several other stylists. So, I started offering select salon services at my house. I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to renting space again!” Nail Technician – Arlington, Texas

“When the pandemic hit, I started looking for portable furniture to fit a small space – just in case it was no longer safe to work in a large commercial salon. One item that’s worked out great is the Bella Rolling Styling Station. I’m glad I got it! Hair Stylist – Little Rock, Arkansas

“Though I’ve been in the salon business a long time and have a lot of clients, I still lost my job because of Covid-19. To put my skills to work, I opened a salon in my home, mostly to help out the people in my neighborhood.” Hair Stylist – Houston, Texas

“Since I’m in my 60s, I’m at a riskier age for exposure. I didn’t want to risk reopening my salon and facing long lines of people I didn’t know were safe or not. So, I started giving haircuts at my home. This way, I can pick and choose the customers I know and trust.” Hair Stylist – Dallas, Texas

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1.4 million jobs were lost in March and April in the Other Services Industry category, which includes Salons and Barbers. Industry-wide unemployment for these services sat at 18.4% in May, up from 2.8% in February – a 650% increase.

The current state of the industry may all sound like doom-and-gloom, but it’s not. And, that’s where the industry buzz about home-based salons comes in. Despite the negativity of the past few months Manicurists and Pedicurists numbers are expected to grow 10% through 2028, as compared to only 5% in non-salon-related occupations. Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists also see an optimistic industry growth rate at 8%.

And more and more of these industry professionals are choosing to move their businesses home. Why? More safety. More consistent earning potential. More control over expenses.

Our store statistics bear the move to home-based business out.

Between April 2018 and March 2020, roughly 42% of orders were shipped to residential locations. In the second quarter 2020, a full 65% of orders have been shipped to our customers’ homes. And, certain buying patterns have changed. Salon pros are turning to furniture with minimal footprint and easy set-up to finish out their smaller, home-based workspaces.

As of 2020, there were 1,254,700 hair and nail salons across the United States. It will be interesting to see how the industry continues to evolve through the pandemic and just how many of those salons will be home-based in the future. For many, “I want to open a salon in my home” has already gone beyond wishful thinking and has become reality.

If you’d like to explore how to transition your salon business to a home-based business, download our free At-Home Salon Checklist today. And, as always, feel free to call our salon furniture and equipment experts with any questions. We’re here for your success!