Editor's Note: This article was written and submitted by Chris Boyle.
European Wax Center is a slick and trendy waxing spa that has really taken off in recent years, with well over 300 locations nationwide.
Natanyah Menna, owner of the European Wax Center located on Merrick Road, started her new business venture less than two years ago, and credits her fast rise in the waxing field with the strong ties she has to her hometown.
“I believe the reason we’re so successful is because of Merrick itself,” she said. “I’m from Merrick — I grew up in Merrick, I went to Calhoun. It’s a great, strong community.”
Business at the Wax Center quickly escalated to unheard of levels at the location. Menna said a significant milestone signified to her that her European Wax Center had truly hit the big-time.
“It was when we started waxing 1,000 people a week,” she said. “No other store in the country has done that before, or seen the amount of people that we see. We wax more people in Merrick in a week than they do in Manhattan, Chicago, California, or anywhere...we’re the busiest store in the country.”
Her store’s clientele quickly grew to the point where the location wasn’t able to handle the vast number of reservation requests they were getting; plans to expand the scope of their operations soon formed early on. The ideal location to open a second store, according to Menna, was easily discovered.
“We’ve taken over half of the space at the old Maximus salon,” she said. “The lease has been signed, and construction has been started.”
Franchise requirements and a lease agreement prevented Menna from leaving her initial store and taking over the entire Maximus space, but she believes that this new arrangement will serve her many clients just as effectively, if not more so.
“I believe that having the new store so close to our first location will work out very well,” she said. “This new center will have six rooms, an office, and really good storage since storage is lacking in our first location.”
Menna said that what makes for a successful business is giving the customer what they want...advice any entrepreneur would do well to listen to.
“People say the economy us hurting, but in my field, the business is just getting better,“ she said. “We’re the number one store in the country. That has to say a lot about this community. Other people who have businesses, or are opening businesses in Merrick. If they run them properly, and give really good service, they should be successful.”
However, a business is only as good as its employees, and Menna said that she has the very best in the industry.
“I couldn’t do it without my fantastic team,” she said. “I couldn’t do it without my manager Erica, my team of waxers and guest services girls, and the amazing Merrick community that we’re in. We’re not showing any signs of slowing down or stopping...we’re just going to keep on going strong.”
What do you think of the European Wax Center? Tell us in the comments below.
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