March 23, 2011: Hair Blow-Drying Services
Yes, I can understand why you might be shaking your head wondering whether I’ve, um, flipped my wig, but I’m very serious. Hair drying has become big business for several entrepreneurs-and the competition in Los Angeles in particular is, well, heating up. (That’s the last pun, I promise.)
As Bloomberg Businessweek tells it, the industry was essentially born in New York City in 2005 when Blow first opened its doors. A few years later in 2008 Alli Webb started offering mobile blow-drying services in Los Angeles, where Webb told Bloomberg Businessweek, “… a lot of people are very focused on their appearance, and they care about beauty.”
Webb’s mobile service took off, and in early 2010 Webb and her brother Michael Landau moved the business into a brick-and-mortar location and changed the name to Drybar. Customers choose from five different styles, and sip champagne for the 30 minutes the service takes–all for $35. Drybar quickly spread throughout the Los Angeles area, targeting specific demographic types of women-and the partners project annual revenues to hit $5 million this year.
As competitors with both permanent and popup locations flood into Los Angeles, Drybar has started franchising its concept, both in and outside of California.
Smaller cities are usually overlooked at first when businesses like these go nationwide, so there’s plenty of time for entrepreneurs to jump in.