By Brian Kelley, President & CEO of Phenix Salon Suites
Key Takeaways
- Phenix Salon Suites has grown to more than 435 locations by building a salon suite franchise model around flexibility in real estate, strong appeal among beauty and wellness professionals, and comprehensive franchisee support.
- Multiple development formats give Phenix franchisees greater flexibility to match their real estate strategy to individual markets and growth goals.
- Phenix’s private salon suites are designed around the independence, privacy and flexibility today’s beauty and wellness professionals want.
- Franchisees benefit from a property-management-style operating model backed by a brand with deep beauty industry knowledge and firsthand experience operating salon suite locations.
The salon suite franchise industry has evolved significantly since Phenix Salon Suites began franchising in 2012. Today, prospective franchisees have more options to consider, so evaluating a salon suite franchise requires looking beyond the basic business model. Private salon suites may look similar from the outside, but the systems behind them can be very different.
The best salon suite franchise opportunities have to get three things right: real estate, the experience of the professionals leasing the suites, and franchisee support. Those three areas have been central to how we’ve built Phenix. We don’t believe there’s one perfect footprint for every market, one type of beauty professional who belongs in our suites, or that franchisees should be left to figure out the business on their own.
That flexibility is what I believe continues to differentiate Phenix Salon Suites in an increasingly competitive industry.
How Does Phenix Salon Suites Approach Real Estate Differently?
Real estate is one of the most important decisions any salon suite franchise owner will make.
The right site must make sense for the local market, but it also has to make sense from an investment and development standpoint. Construction costs, available square footage, market density and development timelines can all affect what the right location looks like.
That’s why we’ve intentionally built flexibility into the Phenix Salon Suites development strategy. Our franchisees aren’t limited to one footprint. Our traditional salon suite format remains an important part of the system, while models like Bistro and our newer Parlor concept give franchisees additional ways to develop based on the needs of individual markets.
The Parlor model is perhaps the clearest example of that philosophy.
Designed for properties under 3,000 square feet, a typical Parlor location is approximately 2,500 square feet and includes around 15 private salon suites. Compared with a traditional Phenix Salon Suites location, which averages approximately $1.3 million in total investment, Parlor is designed around an average total investment of approximately $492,000.
That smaller footprint can give franchisees:
- Access to a wider range of available real estate
- Greater flexibility in dense urban, suburban and mixed-use markets
- Lower upfront development costs
- Fewer suites to lease before reaching stabilization
- Another format for expanding strategically within existing territories
I don’t believe bigger is automatically better in franchising. The better question is whether the format fits the market. For existing multi-unit franchisees, having several development options also creates more ways to grow. An operator may be able to establish a larger location in one trade area and use a smaller format to capture demand elsewhere without repeating the exact same real estate strategy.
The best salon suite franchise real estate strategy is ultimately one that gives franchisees options, and Phenix does exactly that.
Why Do Beauty and Wellness Professionals Choose Phenix Salon Suites?
A salon suite franchise ultimately depends on attracting independent professionals who genuinely want to build their businesses there. Phenix Salon Suites has a unique advantage: it is the only major salon suites brand founded by a Lifestyle Professional.
Our founder, Gina Rivera, grew up in the beauty industry, with family roots dating back to 1929. Her firsthand understanding of what professionals need has shaped a model centered around independence, privacy and flexibility.
Today, Phenix Lifestyle Professionals benefit from:
- Greater independence: Private, customizable suites give professionals control over their schedules, pricing and client experience.
- Flexible agreements: Month-to-month agreements give professionals greater freedom as their businesses evolve.
- A broader beauty and wellness community: Approximately 35% of our Lifestyle Professionals are non-hairstylists, with suites designed to accommodate estheticians, barbers, nail technicians, massage therapists and more.
- Enhanced privacy: While other salon suite concepts prioritize aesthetics over function, at Phenix, we know that estheticians, massage therapists, and injectors may be looking for more functional spaces, with carpeting and adequate privacy.
- Ongoing support: Education, networking and business-building resources help professionals continue growing independently.
When someone asks me what makes a good salon suite provider, my answer starts there. You have to understand what the professionals inside the suites actually need.
What Support Should Salon Suite Franchise Owners Expect?
One of the most common misconceptions about salon suite franchising is that you need experience in the beauty industry to own one. At Phenix, franchisees lease private salon suites to independent professionals, maintain the environment and create a community where those entrepreneurs can operate their businesses.
That means our franchisees have access to resources spanning real estate, development, operations, marketing and tenant recruitment. They also benefit from SalonIQ, the industry knowledge we’ve developed from decades of beauty experience and years of operating within the salon suite category.
Phenix has firsthand insight into what drives Lifestyle Professional satisfaction, how the needs of beauty and wellness entrepreneurs are evolving, and what franchisees need to operate effectively. For me, that’s one of the biggest distinctions prospective owners should consider when evaluating the best salon suite franchises to own.
What Makes Phenix Salon Suites the Best Salon Suite Franchise?
There isn’t one feature that makes a great salon suite.
The real estate has to work. Lifestyle Professionals have to want to be there. And franchisees need a system capable of supporting them from development through ongoing operations.
At Phenix Salon Suites, we’ve spent years strengthening all three. As the salon suite industry continues to grow, I believe those fundamentals will matter more, not less.
Franchise candidates should ask hard questions when comparing opportunities. What real estate options will I have? Why will professionals choose these suites? What support will I receive after I sign?
We’re proud of the answers we’ve built at Phenix. If you’re evaluating opportunities and want to learn more about what sets Phenix Salon Suites apart, fill out our franchise inquiry form to start the conversation.
