NEW YORK – At first glance, the chic Drybar hair salon in Midtown Manhattan seems to have everything a luxury-loving customer could crave.
The new salon, which opened at 4 West 16th Street at the beginning of September 2011 (and which will be followed by a second location, at Le Parker Meridien, later in the fall of 2011), is clean, chic, and elegantly girlie. Its 14 stations are equipped with iPhone chargers (brilliant!), as well as hooks for handbags (brilliant, times two!). Movies play on the televisions throughout the salon; during a recent visit, Bride Wars and Mean Girls rolled—and light munchies, such as candy and granola, are offered for the additional small price of $4.
Drybar salon opened in midtown Manhattan, New York City, on September 2011 (Click Image To Enlarge)
Interior of the Drybar salon located in midtown Manhattan, New York City (Click Image To Enlarge)
Champagne — check. A selection of cookies — check. Chilled water infused with pineapples and strawberries — check.
But if clients ask for a haircut, highlights, manicure or pedicure, they're out of luck.
Drybar's 16 U.S. salons offer one primary service: washing and blow-drying hair into straight, wavy, "beachy" or other stylish hairdos.Its motto: "No cuts. No color. Just blowouts."
The beautification options are limited, yet Drybar's customer base is swelling. The company, which started in February 2010, is on track to have 25 salons by the end of 2012, and 44 by the end of next year.
Drybar has about 800 stylists who collectively cater to thousands of clients daily. Celebrities such as Maria Shrver, Jenniver Love Hewitt and Cindy Crawford have had their hair done. Actress Rose McGowan — who first discovered Drybar as a customer — is an investor.
Patrons such as Manhattan resident Bess Freedman appreciate that the salon focuses on one specific service — so-called "blowouts" — and trains stylists to do that task quickly and skillfully.
Freedman, an executive at real estate firm Corcoran, who comes twice a week to have her curly tresses blown smooth says.
"Every person is good. They do a great job."
Starting at home
The Drybar concept is the brainchild of hair stylist and former public relations practitioner Alli Webb, 37.
In 2008, Webb launched a small business named Straight-at-Home, in which she did blowouts at client homes in the Los Angeles area. As demand increased, she approached her brother about teaming up to open a bigger business.
Alli Webb and her brother Michael Landau are co-founders of Drybar and opened the first salon in Brentwood, a suburb of Los Angeles, California (Click Image To Enlarge)
Her brother, Michael Landau, who was previously a marketing executive for Yahoo and other firms says.
"When she came to me with this idea, I thought she was crazy. I didn't understand why a woman would need a blowout and why she just couldn't do her hair herself."
Webb convinced him of the potential, and they opened a shop in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles.
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Storefront view of the Drybar salon in Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA (Click Image To Enlarge)
Interior of the Drybar salon located in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California (Click Image To Enlarge)
The first salon was funded by Webb, Landau and architect Josh Heitler, who was given a small stake in exchange for his investment and his design help.
Landau, 40, now Drybar CEO says.
"We were hoping to do 20 to 30 blowouts a day And the thing took off beyond our imaginations."
Drybar salon founder Allie Webb waves fro the inside of her New York salon in midtown Manhattan, New York City (Click Image To Enlarge)
Landau and Webb rapidly capitalized on the potential, opening four more stores, then raising $2.5 million from early investors in November 2010 to keep the growth going.
Landau says.
"For us, it's been about mobilizing quickly when you realize you have lightning in a bottle."
Drybar took advantage of two trends: the popularity of smooth-looking hair, rather than curly or frizzy locks, and the rising number of women who want a quick salon service rather than an extended beauty parlor visit.
Drybar salon seats and sinks for shampooing clients at the Brentwood, Los Angeles, California salon (Click Image To Enlarge)
Research group Mintel said in a June report on the salon industry.
"Express salons such as 'blowout bars' are poised to be a trend with ample opportunity for growth, post-recession."
During the downturn, consumers were likely to cut back on salon services, says Mintel, but with the economy improving, "the salon industry seems to have a promising future."
Drybar salon sign prominently displays its services and prices through the salon window (Click Image To Enlarge)
As blowout demand increases, competition has heated up.
Rivals such as Blo Blow Dry Bar are expanding, while established full-service salons now aggressively promote their own blowout services.
Other entrepreneurs have capitalized on the trend.
In October 2010, Rosemary Camposano opened the first of her three Halo Blow Dry Bars in California. She says she'll have two more locations by the end of 2012 and hopes to have as many as 13 by the end of 2013.
Drybar salon interior decor includes lots of white and yellow, including these blow dryer lights (Click Image To Enlarge)
Camposano says.
"We'll be competing with (Drybar) neck and neck before you know it."
For its part, the Drybar management team has been quick to build and promote its brand.
Landau says.
"We realized that we needed to move fast, because there are low barriers to entry."
To get the capital for expansion, he and Webb sold equity in the company and offered franchise rights. They now own just under 50% of the company, but are still the largest shareholders. They continue to actively manage the business and hold two of the five board seats.
They also brought on others to help with management and expansion. Last year, they hired operations executive Karen Kelley as president and chief operating officer. Kelley was a senior vice president of operations and people at frozen yogurt chain Pinkberry.
Under her bio on TheDryBar.com website, Karen Kelley says.
"Karen has spent the last 20 years helping companies like Boston Market, Jamba Juice, and most recently, Pinkberry, with major national roll-outs. We could not be more excited (and relieved) to have Karen on the team."
Goal: A place to have fun
Even before they had the help of high-level executives and millions in private-equity money, Webb and Landau had figured out a successful salon formula. They not only offered quick, affordable blowouts, but did so in a hip, female-friendly setting that's replicated at each of its locations.
Chick flicks such as Bridesmaids play on closed-captioned flat-screen TVs. Glasses of Champagne and light snacks are complimentary. Clients pick their preferred hair styles from a menu that features photos of fun, drink-themed looks. The Mai Tai, for instance, is "messy and beachy," while Southern Comfort is "big hair with volume."
Patrons sit next to each other at a long bar, similar to a saloon setting.
Webb says.
"We want women to come in and have fun. What's more fun than going to your local bar?"
Drybar also offers consistency on pricing. While many salons base a blowout fee on a client's hair length, texture or thickness, Drybar charges a flat price at each salon. All current locations charge $35 except in Manhattan, where rent is higher. There, the price is $40.
The skills of the Drybar stylists, as well as the company's focus on customer service, keep patrons coming back, Landau says.
After two-and-a-half years in business, he says he's also now enlightened on another reason that clients return: They not only receive freshly coiffed locks, they also get a boost of self-assurance.
He says.
"A blowout is much more than just the hair. It changes their attitude and confidence, and I see that time and time again."
COMMENTARY: I love the Drybar unique blowout business concept very much, and now that Alli Webb and Michael Webb have developed a sustainable business model that can be replicated in selected markets, I see why they can't quicckly attain the $20 million in revenue goal for 2012 and 40 locations by the end of 2013.
Althought Drybar will be faced with a lot of competition from other blowout salon copycats, I believe that being first in the blowout category, strong brand, loyal customers (many who are celebrities) and management team gives them an advantage as they expand nationally.
I like the fact that they are franchising Drybar, instead of trying to open and manage the locations themselves. That would take a lot more capital, and it's much better to expand through franchising in the salon business that to go it alone.
Drybar is not just a blowout salon, but a social gathering hole for its clients, much in the same manner as Starbucks has done in premium coffee, and Pink Berry has done for premium frozen yogurt shops. It also has a lot of pull and snobbish appeal with celebrities in New York, L.A. and Las Vegas. Drybar doesn't have to do a lot of advertising, or run specials to get customers. It's customers are the best form of advertising for this company, and the word about Drybar is spread virally.
The management of Drybar are very much into social media. They have a Drybar blog, and pages on Facebook, Twitter, tumblr and dozens of videos on YouTube.
A job well done to Alli and Michael.
Courtesy of an article date August 13, 2012 appearing in USA Today
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