Franchise Talk

Life’s A Beach For High-Tech Spa Franchisee

February 24th, 2009 | Author: Jack

It has often been referred to as “lipstick syndrome” during a recession – women who can’t afford to splurge on high-end luxury items instead boost sales of affordable indulgences such as lipstick – and Nicole Matta is betting the trend will also apply to her affordable chain of spas as she rolls out several locations across Ontario in the coming months.

At a time when more and more of us are stressed out because of the economy and lack of job security, Ms. Matta has embarked on franchising a U.S.-based line of high-tech, low-touch spa centres. She is the master franchisee in Ontario for Planet Beach Contempo Spas.

“When women are under stress, they will look for affordable ways to make themselves feel better,” Ms. Matta says. “The people that used to go to a day spa and spend $400 or $500 a day may be thinking twice about doing that and we’re an alternative to that.”

But it’s not just women she’s targeting. After flying to Tampa to meet with Planet Beach representatives while visiting several of the company’s spas in the area, she saw a wide demographic of people entering and leaving.

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Photo: Peter J. Thompson / National Post.