Cutting In On A New Market

New men's grooming salons offer to pamper clients in a masculine setting

(Friday, December 02, 2005) - Hair coloring, waxing, nail shaping. It's a guy thing.

Well, as long as you throw in some sports on plasma TVs, a pool table and a country club casual setting. At least that's the pitch at Emerson Joseph uptown, which, along with Roosters Men's Grooming Centers in SouthPark, is attempting to open up a whole new world of grooming options to Charlotte businessmen.

"From beginning to end, this is a place for a guy to feel comfortable," says Shelly Takats, Emerson Joseph president and co-founder.

These are also places where men spend money. At Roosters, a shave and a haircut costs $40; manicures and facial shaves are $20. Emerson Joseph offers its services a la carte to anyone that walks in, but the business also offers yearly memberships from $600 to $1,200 for a range of service combinations.

"Men have finally come out of the closet, so to speak, in terms of grooming and I think they realize the importance of their image," says Edward Norman of Charlotte-based Edward Norman Image Consulting. "One of the reasons these places have become so marketable and popular is that a lot of men prefer having these services done amongst other men."

A shift in cultural attitudes has made it more socially acceptable for men to be meticulous about their appearance, says Jim Donnelly, Emerson Joseph co-founder.

"Guys are much more in tune with their bodies today," says Larry Bonhaus, the local Roosters franchisee. "They want to make sure they look good and take care of themselves, but they also need a place where they can be guys."

Bonhaus has big plans to grow his Roosters franchise to 10 locations in the region. He already operates one Roosters in Sharon Corners shopping center in SouthPark and has a second opening next week in Ballantyne Corporate Park. Each costs more than $100,000 to open. He's looking for an uptown location now.

Emerson Joseph opened its first location yesterday in 4,500 square feet at 221 S. Tryon St. The building is owned by Takats, her sister Stacy Takats-Donnelly and Stacy's husband Jim Donnelly.

On the ground floor is the male grooming lounge that contains a pool table, a 1940s General Electric refrigerator and black leather chairs made by Porsche.

"The haircut you will get here is exceptional, but we're also building an experience," says Takats-Donnelly.

Emerson Joseph will host special event nights, focusing on fashion, tailoring and even bringing in sports stars to mix and mingle. "It would be easy to say we're targeting the metrosexual here, but we're not," says Takats-Donnelly. "We're targeting the normal guy who may not feel comfortable at a typical salon for women but who want more than a barber shop."

View all Roosters Men's Grooming Centers Press Releases

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