him, and he jumped at the opportunity. “I have to admit,
the guidance that I received from 18|8 was fantastic!”
One of the many things that we were interested in
about the Annapolis location was the salon’s design.
Although there were similarities, it was quite different
from it. As it turns out this freedom of design was a
selling point for Lancos. “Many franchises are a cookie
cutter. You walk into any 18|8, I believe there are
about 40 of them, and they’re all different. They gave
us guidance on what they recommended we use, but
they didn’t tell us we had to.” One of the many things
we loved was the profusion of artwork. It turns out
that each location is recommended to acquire artwork
specific to its site; Lancos chose photography by a
Baltimore based artist.
Lancos himself is a testament to the trends of the
men’s industry. Until he opened his own salon he
viewed getting his haircut as a “necessary evil.” “I went
to the salon, but it was 20 minutes of waiting, and then
I would get my haircut and leave, and I would go on
to whatever else I was doing. When I looked at this,
and this whole concept I thought, ‘You know what, this
could be fun.’ It could be a very relaxing, enjoyable
experience for the individuals who want that.” For him
the 18|8 experience offered something different, “It’s
simple things, like changing into the 18|8 robe. That’s
a little something special, and it keeps the hair from
falling down the back of your neck.” Lancos noted,
again, that the privacy their layout creates has had a
significant impact on the willingness of men to try
and begin to enjoy many of the other treatments. With
services like manicures and facials he noted that men
aren’t as likely to try them when they are at a female
focused salon, but the 18|8 atmosphere helps them relax
and branch out.
As 18|8 itself expands and the men’s industry itself
continues to grow, we’re excited to see how this
impressive salon continues, especially since we’ll
be getting a few locations closer to our home base.
Whether you’re looking for a unique job opportunity or
need a place to get a great shave, we give 18|8 our seal
of approval.
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COSMOBIZ SALON JUNE 2015