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By Lynn Jones
According to Forbes magazine, men grooming salons are or high end barber shop are not only the new hot thing, but very profitable. In a recent article the magazine said, “While soft goods retailers are shuttering stores in record numbers, a cultural resurgence of men’s grooming, estimated to reach $26B by 2020”
Locally, two seriel entrepreneurs Troy and Simon McNair, left behind their cigar business in downtown Jacksonville to open up the new Aficionado Grooming Lounge located in the Regency Court Plaza adjacent to Regency Mall. Much like the national trend, the McNair’s grooming lounge is billed as wellness for guys and the perfect means for modern man to look his best.
There was a 23% decrease in barbershops across the country from 1992 to 2012, according to census data. Then there was an uptick in 2013. Now there is a boom nationwide. The Lounge is the first salon in Jacksonville focused on male hand and foot wellness providing everything form manicures, pedicures, hot towel shaves and shoe shines.
All services are performed in a luxury man cave with a pool table in the center for recreation. “We are excited to be the first of our kind, in Jacksonville. The ever-growing $21B male grooming industry is an untapped market in Northeast Florida,” says Troy McNair.
The idea was created for the distinguished gentlemen that wants spa services but doesn’t care to visit a traditional nail salon or unisex spa. The Lounge offers a luxury man cave where you can relax in a mature male environment without discrimination against anyone’s race, color, creed or sexual orientation.
McNair adds, “Aficionado Grooming Lounge has discovered an untapped segment in the health and wellness industry. Our focus is on appealing to today’s modern man, who is actively seeking out a destination for high quality grooming, no one delivers this type of male centered service the way we do.”
Not limiting itself to just individual services, Aficionado Grooming Lounge also is perfect for corporate retreats and team building events. “This is a real man cave, I can hang with my buddies, play pool, get groomed and pampered and relax after a hard week,” says Randy Moore shown being serviced by technician Sharice Blount.
