going to buy a distressed salon

[EliteMike]

Just dump thousands in the place, the tanning industry is really boomin right now. You'll make your money back real quick, don't trust TQ's advice she don't know what she's talking about.



You better really sit down and rework that lease before you find you can't do jack to the space as far as improvements go.

[SandiGirl]

Oh gawd, he's investing $10K.

How much did your's cost you?

[Tanning Queen]

Sandi, stop with the $10k. IT is gonna cost him WAY more than $10k to make it work. At least mine was more profitable and all I had to do was add new lamps and paint.

[SandiGirl]

The beds may be fine. Maybe just some relamping. He can sell one stand up and one lie down and get 2 used VHRs.

[hiii98]

The owner/landlord claims all the beds were recently relamped.

[SandiGirl]

Top AND bottow with NEW NEW...not just new to him? Didn't replace just the top or every second lamp???

[hiii98]

no only the bulbs that had too many hours on them. I was told someone from the bulb company came and replaced them (i'm doubtful if it was all of them or just 1) He said this technician comes out a few times each year and replaces all overused bulbs, also maintains and cleans the beds inside and out.

[SandiGirl]

Well that's good, if it's true. Depending on the make and wattage, some last longer than others.

[dbl-a]

I can't believe this thread. I can't believe any of you are remotely suggesting to buy this salon. I am not polite. I am an asshole. And this is just another shithole that should be put to rest so that the other decent salons can survive. Go buy a salon that is actually profiting and make it better with little investment so that you can make $.

[frankie]

Damn I can`t believe I sit and read all these post. I can`t believe someone is actually thinking about buying this worthless place. I just gave 2 Dr Kern 50 lamp tanning beds to someone just to get them moved. No I did not buy them they were aleady in a salon my son purchased when he had stars in his eyes. Or should I say blinders on.

You need to listen to Queen. If you are determined to do this. Tell the landlord you will take it over. Tell him you want 60-90 days free rent. Pay your first and last months rent. That way he will think he is getting something. Only sign a 1 year lease with option of 5 years plus 5 years. This is all after you find out how much air you have and how big your panel box is. IMO you should have no less than 6-8 tons now. If you have some smaller beds you can get by with .50-.75 tons per room. This also depends on how the rooms were built and how the air is run into the rooms.

Ask questions and make sure your i`s are dotted and your t`s are crossed. Also buy you a meter and check your lamps to make sure they are doing what they should. Open up.... do a BOGO on your lotion and have a TFW. Offer some type of membership to keep them coming in until the first of the year. BTW the right advertising is the key to a great TFW.

Good Luck.

[hiii98]

Originally Posted by dbl-a

I can't believe this thread. I can't believe any of you are remotely suggesting to buy this salon. I am not polite. I am an asshole. And this is just another shithole that should be put to rest so that the other decent salons can survive. Go buy a salon that is actually profiting and make it better with little investment so that you can make $.

so somehow all of this is going to be cheaper if i rent a more expensive place oh lets say normally 1000 - 1300 a month. Then i have oh the no so small cost of rewiring the place for electric ... . Oh lets see, hire a crew to do drywall and remodel THE ENTIRE FACILITY, hire a paint crew. Hire people to build counters desks ect. Buy all cabnets tables chairs desks, tvs and computers. Buy all brand new beds. Somehow buy a 8 ton AC unit then pay someone to install it. Buy a software system and hardware to run it all, pay someone to program it to all work together.... all without having a single fkn client to support in the beginning of the dead season??? I dont even want to imagine what all this startup would cost, and you are giving me business advice!??!

[EliteMike]

The place sounds like a dive with a shady landlord. If that's your idea of a nice business, go for it. You have not supplied good information to let anyone think otherwise. You think it's such a great business then don't ask for advice. How much do you really know about the tanning biz, do you have enough knowledge to get in there and train employees the right way? Do you even care to learn or are you just hoping that you can do something a bit different and sit back and watch the money flow in?

[JeffK]

If you think you're getting a good deal now, wait until November.. the guy will be begging you to take it off his hands..

[Tanning Queen]

dbl-a didnt say start from scratch. He said find a BETTER salon to buy! Glad to see I am not the only one who is trying to save this guy from a HUGE mistake.

From the sounds of this salon, you are STILL going to need more AC and rewire the electric. YOu are STILL going to need new beds. STILL going to remodel it. ETC. NOt much difference except you have a sketchy landlord in the mix.

[hiii98]

enough knowledge to get in there and train employees the right way

i am firing all the employees. I will be working onsite directly everyday of the week until things get under control whether that be a year or 5 months. I also have others poised to work whom i trust.

[hiii98]

Originally Posted by Tanning Queen

From the sounds of this salon, you are STILL going to need more AC and rewire the electric. YOu are STILL going to need new beds. STILL going to remodel it. ETC. NOt much difference except you have a sketchy landlord in the mix.

That is not proven that i need more AC yet. I will only need to rewire the electric if i add more beds due to booming business. I can slowly intergrade new beds into the mix while salvaging some of my financial loss by selling the old beds, or keeping them as I expand. Remodel it? ... why? Only thing it needs is flooring.. and thats nothing and the flooring is included in the rent. Who cares how sketchy the landlord is if i have a signed lease.

[EliteMike]

When you say rewire the salon, I'm not sure you understand the scope of adding capacity. My service cost me about 30 grand. Some places don't allow more than one service coming in, so if you have 200 amps and you want 400 out comes the 200 and your costs are huge.

Go into the salon and turn the AC down to 65, I told you to see if you can get the salon cooler than it's current temp. If you can't then you need a lot more AC.

[hiii98]

Ok Mike I will go there today and try to take pictures as well.

[SandiGirl]

And I wouldn't fire all the girls. Work with the for a bit and see who you like. They may be an asset to you. Girls will know their lotion and hopefully be able to sell it. (I'm still assuming you're a guy) You may have one or 2 you'd like to keep on to help when it's busier.

[Tanning Queen]

Now new flooring is included in the rent? Where are you coming up with this stuff?

If you are working from open to close, you will kill yourself. Not that it cant be done but not suggested. You will need a break from the clients, let alone, time to fix things if they are broken. Very hard to relamp when you are working. Busy season is the time to have at least one person there as a bed cleaner.

Again, you DONT know your electric do you DONT KNOW if you need to add more amps or not. As Mike said, if you need more, it may not be just as easy as pulling from the spot next door. I was going to have to ad a new line from the drop point. Which meant, rip up the parking lot to run it in. Was quoted $50k for that.

Thye current beds wont get you much so dont count them as potential income if you sell them. THere are MANY used beds out on the market right now so you would be competing with them to get yours sold. Same as the housing market, price it low to move it.

NOW the good thing is that there are many used beds on the market! YOu can get a decend used bed for a fraction of the cost. But again, if you dont have the ac or electric to add it in, you are screwed.

IT HAS been proven that you need ac based on the amount of beds you have and the simple fact it is HOT HOT HOT, per your words. YOu are in a regulated state. Get the requirements from them on how cool the salon must be and also the interior of the rooms.