Reinvention is the name of the game in today’s market, and cosmetology is no different. Avant garde hairstyles deconstructing what was traditionally thought of as a good look, better technology for dyeing and managing hair, and a whole new baseline of customers with the millennial generation have revitalized the hair industry. Barbers are back, touting their time-tested methods of hair cutting and straight-razor shaves, but cosmetologists are continuing to innovate.
Take HIFI Hair for example, a Minneapolis-based salon that also moonlights as a record store. Their website “about” section says, “Hair is what we do, and music is what we love. HIFI Hair is the place where the two make such an obvious bond. “
This choice to market the salon as more than just a place for a new hairstyle or a color change is great because it does two things.
- Diversification
In every business, having multiple sources of income can be just as helpful as insurance in the wake of unexpected problems. If there is a problem with licensing, or if the salon portion of HIFI is temporarily under construction, the salon can still get income from record sales.
- Unique branding
There are a lot of people trying to start businesses, especially in artistic environments. Specific, unique branding can help your business stand out among the crowd.
By identifying with the indie music scene in Minneapolis, they’ve pulled attention from a wider demographic to their salon. When comparing three different salons, the salon with the most compelling ad narrative will win out, and HIFI is using music to accomplish that.
This reinvention of the traditional salon business model creates an environment that fosters growth of community around more than just hair.
This success has led HIFI to expand even more; the music-salon just released its own line of hair products that are useful, clean, and environmentally friendly. It seems broadening the salon’s scope has worked wonders for the business.