I have always dreamt of creating the largest Salon in Africa. A mall for Hair. For both men and women . 80% women though.
Branded shops representing all the major players in the Hair business. I am thinking a 500 seat mall(or salon) as you may call it.
It would be a magnet for either major brands (in the hair business) or a per chair rental business where hair stylists rent a chair for a week, a month or a year. Every stylist with their own customers.
The business would take care of a very important aspect,which is environment. If you critically assess the opportunity, the largest salon in Nigeria is probably 25 seats. I doubt there is anything bigger. Barber shops are worse, I doubt there there is any barber shop bigger than 10 seats in Nigeria. So creating a Salon or Mall like structure with 500 seats will attract thousands of people. Why create a mall for food, drinks and other services where people just come and walk around? Why not create a mall for Hair? It’s more purposeful and attracts the right demographic.
If a single place in Lagos for example attracts 2,000 women in a day, then you are in touch with virtually the whole country (or feels like it).
I have always insisted that anywhere that will attract such crowd must have:
- Good parking (very important).
- 24 Hours Salon.
- Central Power.
- Central Cleaning Services.
- Central Sourcing of Products.
Let me talk of number 5 above. The extension of the business would be to supply products to all these shops and single stylists centrally. That way you can buy products in large quantities and enjoy huge economies of scale. Products would come cheaper and easier to access.
24 hour barber shops are all over Abuja now. And people actually use them. If parking is great and safety assured, people will surely elect to do their hair late at night taking advantage of their downtime in Lagos especially. Virtually anywhere if the environment is right.
There are a ton of upselling opportunities if the right crowd is attracted
