Strip Wax Bars eyes 30 UK salons
Waxing salon group Strip is planning ambitious expansion following strong sales.
The mini-chain, which has five standalone salons and two concessions, will open a further four standalone salons by the end of the next financial year with eventual plans for a total of 30 across the UK.
The salons specialise in bikini waxing and also sell luxury lingerie. “It’s our 10th birthday in April and over those 10 years we’ve gained enough loyal customers and developed a strong enough infrastructure to expand a bit more quickly,” said director Maria Louise Featherstone.
The next salon will open on Islington’s Upper Street in February followed by another in Fulham in May then two more before the end of April 2016.
Strip launched in 2005 and has four high-street salons in London, one in Loughton, Essex, a concession in Topshop Oxford Circus and another further afield in Harvey Nichols in Bristol.
Featherstone, who runs the company with her sister Danielle Featherstone-Price, said further openings would be standalone sites to allow the directors to retain control but added that they would be outside the current London hub, naming affluent towns including Harrogate, Richmond and Edinburgh as likely sites. The group is now recruiting waxing therapists, laser specialists and managers to fuel its expansion.
Beyond that, she said international expansion would follow. “France is the obvious first step internationally as we have a lot of French clients and the model would work well there,” said Featherstone, adding that international growth was likely to come via franchising.
The group is also growing its treatment offer. It has begun offering laser hair removal at its Chelsea and Notting Hill sites and will soon roll that out to the others. Meanwhile Featherstone has created a new treatment called Wow Brow, involving waxing and tinting, which has just launched into all salons.
This story first appeared in the November issue of Professional Beauty magazine. To make sure you’re the first to read excusive news, subscribe for £37 a year for print issues, or just £4.99 a year for 12 full digital issues.
