Specialized waxing salon expands, others pickup Valentine's business.
By Sharp, Tara
San Diego Business Journal
February 9, 2009

In these penny-pinching times, it's hard to believe that San Diego ladies are still dishing out the dough every month to remove unwanted hair through the painful process of waxing--but they are.

The Pretty Kitty, a wax and skin care service specializing in the Brazilian bikini wax in Pacific Beach and Chula Vista, sees 30 to 50 women a day at its P.B. salon and upwards of 60 to 70 at the combined locations, says owner Tricia Hetherington.

"We see everyone from college girls to grandmothers," said Hetherington

Individual waxing services at The Pretty Kitty range in price from $10 to $60, with the Brazilian costing $45. Other services offered include eyelash and eyebrow tinting, and facials, which are only offered at the Chula Vista location.

A key to the salon's success: Keeping prices low compared to day spas and other multiservice salons to attract regular monthly clients and using a skilled proprietary technique that greatly minimizes pain.

A Boost In Business

Sarah Hetzler, owner of Le Wax Boutique in North Park, which opened last October, retained clientele from her previous salon, but typically sees three new clients a day. With St. Valentine's Day approaching, her customer numbers have about tripled.

"I just started advertising with Yelp and it's unbelievable," Hetzler said. "'With that and the San Diego Reader I do really, really well."

At Le Wax, a Brazilian is $40 and prices for individual waxing services range from an $8 lip wax to a $65 male Brazilian; facials are $50 to $160.

In contrast, business at The Undercarriage in Bankers Hill, which owners Malinda Turner and Kirsten Prunty opened in January 2006, is fluctuating due to the downturn.

"Definitely the economy has hit us, but we are still staying afloat because of our regulars," said Turner. "And we still continue to get new business because we advertise."

February is the beginning of the seven-month waxing season, which slows down with the start of school in September. But in these two weeks prior to Valentine's Day the salon typically sees a 25 percent to 35 percent increase in clientele. The Undercarriage's most popular service, the $50 Brazilian, amounts to 90 percent of its business.

The Pretty Kitty

Hetherington, an aesthetician for six years, originally focused on skin care and facials before realizing that the profit return was in the removal of unwanted hair. She thanks Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie, on television's "Sex and the City" for getting a Brazilian wax on the show and influencing American women to do the same.

In June 2006, only three months after deciding to open her own business, Hetherington and her partner opened The Pretty Kitty in Pacific Beach and broke even in the first month.

They had put their own money into the business, without the help of outside investors, and did the renovation themselves. The result is a "Breakfast at Tiffany's-inspired, 430-square-foot boutique salon with two waxing rooms and a staff of four aestheticians and two receptionists.

After securing a trademark and patent for The Pretty Kitty logo in 2007, Hetherington opened the 750-square-foot Chula Vista salon in August 2008 and works there five days a week with one other woman.

"We bring in people as needed," said Hetherington. "It requires a lot of work on our part, but it's really the most economical way to do it. I've seen a lot of other businesses hire a lot of people before they have the customers, but that's so much money out the door."

Hetherington chose Chula Vista because she was seeing a lot of her clients commuting from the South Bay and, de spite the area's growing population, other wax salons were scarce.

"We have no competition for 10 miles in any direction," said Hetherington.

Despite the rough economy, in its first month of operation the Chula Vista salon brought in twice the revenue the Pacific Beach salon did in its first month, in large part due to more advertising and an already established name brand.

But there are other factors, adds Hetherington.

"We attribute our success to being great at what we do and offering excellent customer service," she said.

The Pretty Kitty is already looking to expand to another untapped locale--Las Vegas.

"There's quite a demand there for what we do," said Hetherington. "Surprisingly, this area hasn't really been tapped into yet."