or "i am man, hear me roar"
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 By James Whittall
MenEssentials President
Published February 2003
Last February, I reported on the state of the spa industry at a time when the men's market was still something of a joke.
Most everyone I interviewed for Spa Spud, my original article on the subject, thought I was kidding when I asked how they went about making men more comfortable during treatments. One spa manager at a ritzy ski resort in British Columbia told me that she had no interest in such things; spas were a woman's domain, she sniffed, and if men wanted in they had to tolerate the frills and lace. So there.
Today, most spa owners and managers are whistling a not-so-snooty tune. Men now account for almost half of all spa customers, and their numbers are spiraling upward so quickly that it's hard to know where the ceiling might be.
Blame women for the phenomenon. We had to make room for them at the office. But as we assumed our fair share of the household duties in return, boundaries between other traditional gender-based activities also started to blur.
In other words, if a guy can change a bed and wash poopy diapers without feeling that his masculinity is under siege, then a facial and mud bath ain't gonna kill him either.
As with any rapidly emerging market, men's spas and spa services are popping up faster than mushrooms on my son's gym socks. With such an abundance of options, how's the spa-going male to discriminate between the cream and the crap?
Why, by reading further, of course. Here's my take on what to look for and what to avoid in 2003.
The "Men Welcome" Spa
The most common of spas, so named because its web site or service menu is adorned with pictures of leggy naked chicks, dainty sounding treatments, and the words "Men Welcome" in small print at the bottom of the page.
"Men Welcome" usually means that the owners or managers recognize the growing momentum of the men's market but haven't developed a men's treatment menu.
Why? Disinterest, laziness, in many cases a strong belief that the market doesn't really exist or that it's a passing fad. Or they simply don't know enough about men to understand that guys want their own unique services and products.
No matter the reason, it's best to steer clear of these establishments. You probably won't have a very satisfying spa experience. But at least you'll come away slathered in oil and smelling like one of those flowery plug-in air fresheners.
The Crossover Spa
These spas originally catered to women but greeted the budding men's market with enthusiasm and a right-minded willingness to adapt their businesses to their new customers' needs.
Little House Spa in rural Cumberland, Ontario is a very successful example of this transition. A 19th century homestead meticulously restored by partners Doug Coburn and Daniel Francoeur, Little House served a female clientele until men started to show up at their door.
"In this area, most of the guys who come to us are farmers or mechanics," says Coburn. "Their wives bring them. At first, they're a little put off by the experience. But once they discover how healing a spa treatment can be, they never fail to return on their own."
Little House's male business grew so quickly that the spa recently introduced its Men's Den, a men-only lounge and treatment room that is separate from the other spa facilities frequented by women. Coburn and Francoeur also offer a complete menu of male spa services, ranging from sport massages to body hair removal.
"The Men's Den is quiet and out of the way," says Coburn. "Guys just feel more comfortable there. They can relax and let the experience carry them off."
Debra Pender of Beyond Wrapture wholeheartedly agrees. Pender owns and operates a chain of ski resort spas in Kelowna, British Columbia. Over the past year, she has seen her male business grow at a "phenomenal" pace.
"The men's market is clearly here to stay," she says. In response, Pender and her staff are currently developing an extensive service offering for guys. Soon-to-be-available treatments include shave facials, vitamin manicures, and a complete roster of men's "tune up" packages.
"Men have a new caring attitude these days," says Pender. "The rugged look is still in, but why not save it for later? Much later."
The Hybrid Salon/Spa ("Grooming Salon")
A modern twist on the traditional barbershop, the hybrid is actually a men-only version of the woman's beauty salon.
Several have opened throughout the USA and Canada in the last 12 months,  and many more are in the planning or development stages. Here, you'll find hair styling, shave, esthetic, and traditional day spa services — typically with shoe shines and dry cleaning thrown in for good measure — combined in decidedly masculine surroundings.
The Chairman in Seattle, Washington is perhaps the finest example of this new type of business. Owner Pauline Ushigusa, a veteran hair stylist and esthetician from Hawaii, literally bubbles over with enthusiasm when discussing her innovative approach to the burgeoning men's market.
"I was noticing huge increases in the number of my male customers back in Hawaii," she says. "It seemed only natural to build an entire business around the concept, on the mainland where this trend is already well established."
Ushigusa decided on beautifully oiled wood trim, comfortable leather furniture, and warm lighting — "living room décor," she calls it. Styling and treatment rooms are separated by the lounge area, so that the often overpowering smell of wet hair doesn't interfere with her spa customers' enjoyment.
"Avoid salons where treatments and styling are delivered in the same room — or worse, in the same chair!" Ushigusa advises. "Do you really want a clay facial with someone else's hair flying all over the place? I don't think so."
The Men-only Spa
European guys have enjoyed their own exclusive spas for years, with The Refinery in England and Nickel (pronounced Nee-Kel) in France leading the charge into this hot new industry. Last year, Nickel brought its operations to the New World, opening a landmark men-only spa in downtown Manhattan.
This 4,500-square-foot establishment is a remarkable sanctuary where men can enjoy a full day of relaxation. The two-story spa has eight treatment rooms, a napping room, a nail room, and a vast reception area.
Designed as a submarine (yes, a submarine) the spa's chrome walls, cobalt lighting, and glass interior create an entirely masculine yet sophisticated environment.
Nickel is the only spa of its kind in North America. But several new men-only spas are now in development and will open in major urban centers throughout the United States and Canada before Father's Day 2003.
Watch our list of men's spas for developments.
Recommended Spas
Click here for a list of MenEssentials-recommended spas that offer products or spa treatments designed specifically for men.
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