The Beauty Salonization of Encino

I was having my hair cut the other day when a shriek went up, “I’m going to kill myself if that’s another beauty salon” opening across the street. The stylists ultimately determined it was some kind of New Age healer and peace was restored. But the economics of it are pretty clear - it’s brutal out there on Ventura Boulevard. The most thriving businesses are beauty salons – manicurists, hair stylists and massage therapists with a sprinkle of fortune tellers (sushi restaurants and yogurt stores are right behind them). It’s a veritable invasion. The irony is that this used to be a charge leveled at Hispanic or African-American suburbs. Now it’s Encino. All we need are a few more discount stores and pawn shops.

This is the inevitable result of turning Ventura Boulevard into a freeway and denying small businesses walk-in traffic.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not objecting to salons – just the number of them because it hurts the established ones. It’s fairly easy to get into the hair and nail salon business these days and many Israeli and Persian immigrants got their start this way. Indeed, when salons first started to boom in Los Angeles in the 1980’s with Vietnamese immigrants, it was as a discount business and it spread rapidly across the country. But with the economy the way it is and with the $100+ cuts shriveling, and with new salons opening every week, there are now too many low cost/low margin salons for most to make their numbers. Adding “luxury” and “spa” to your salon name does not necessarily save you if newcomers undercut your prices.

Some stores are trying to survive by drawing in younger customers. Call them mother-daughter bonding experiences if you like, but with kids as young as 3 getting manicures and pedicures, this invites charges of sexualizing children. I can’t think of a better way for making girls overly self-conscious and aware of their appearance.