Parlor Talk: Inside A New Service Model

As a mother and entrepreneur, New Yorker Pam Wolf felt like she was constantly scheduling, carving out time for, and rushing to beauty and wellness appointments. “I found myself traveling to and from my favorite hair stylist, manicurist, acupuncturist, and nutritionist, who were all located in various NYC neighborhoods,” she recalls.

They say invention is born of necessity, so Wolf created The Parlor NYC—which applies the WeWork premise to aesthetics—to make her life easier. “The original inspiration for The Parlor NYC was personal. I needed to somehow bring all of my beauticians and wellness professionals into one convenient location, but I quickly realized that this was not just a benefit for me as a client. It would also create a collaborative learning community for the professionals I was visiting.”

And that's just what she did, Opening in Fall 2019, The Parlor NYC hopes to marry convenience and curated aesthetic talent with hospitality and community.

Ms. Wolf spoke to Modern Aesthetics® magazine about her vision and how she turned The Parlor NYC into a reality.

How does The Parlor NYC work from a provider and patient point of view?

Pam Wolf: The providers, which we refer to as our members, are selected through a competitive application process and once selected given the opportunity to operate their own business without the administrative and operational burdens that most independent owners are faced with. Their clients will enjoy a high touch, hospitable environment where they can enjoy a luxurious and private sound-, light-, and temperature-controlled suite for their service in addition to common areas featuring healthy food options, quiet areas to respond to messages, or opportunities to socialize with other clients at one of our many events.

And, of course, the convenience of being able to have any and all services in one exciting location will be a benefit to all.

Besides space, what else do members share?

Ms. Wolf: Our motto is to work for yourself but not by yourself. Members will certainly benefit from cross promotion and sharing of clients. They will learn from each other and share best practices. They will share assistants on occasion and most definitely share in the camaraderie of an intentional community.

The Parlor offers shared concierge services, shared cleaning services, shared relaxation rooms for practitioners only, and shared publicity opportunities.

What types of procedures will be performed at The Parlor?

Ms. Wolf: Services include Skin Care & Aestheticians, Hair, Nails, Makeup, Permanent Makeup, Master Barber, Microdermabrasion, Hair Removal, Massage, Acupuncture, Body Work, Stem Cell Beauty Treatments, Compression Therapy, Cosmetic Dentistry, Cryotherapy, Energy Healing, Fitness Trainers, Life Coaching, Infrared Sauna, IV Drip Therapy, Integrative Medicine, Nutritional Counseling, Psychology, Recovery Biohacking, and more.

What problems does this new practice model solve for cosmetic specialists who are just starting out?

Ms. Wolf: From a business perspective, The Parlor NYC offers a unique opportunity for emerging entrepreneurs. We are disrupting the traditional business model by alleviating extremely high overhead and rental costs as well as providing services for members that help them focus on their services rather than the minutia that can be overwhelming. We provide designed and furnished suites, client management services, and continuing education, a turnkey solution for opening or expanding business.

Is this model feasible outside NY where real estate is cheaper?

Ms. Wolf: The Parlor NYC is feasible anywhere not just in major cities where real estate is expensive, hard to acquire, very costly to build, and time consuming to manage once built. The Parlor NYC allows practitioners to work for themselves but not by themselves and creates a community for the sharing of best practices.

Any challenges in terms of design/insurance or build-out?

Ms. Wolf: The challenge with the design was to create an exciting environment that was warm and inviting and that allowed for luxurious private suites, as well as well-appointed common areas without feeling salon, med-spa, or office-like. The challenge that we are laser focused on is identifying only the best of the best practitioners in all categories in order to be the premier beauty and wellness community in NYC.

Pam Wolf
• A serial entrepreneur and retail real estate expert with a track record of building three successful New York-based businesses and a notable portfolio of real estate.