GREENWICH CT - Town residents still love to be pampered, but day spa and salon owners said the financial crunch is forcing people to rethink the need for such luxuries as facials, manicures and pedicures.

The dozens of day spas and salons across Greenwich are reporting declines in business - one by as much as 70 percent - as the economy slides deeper into recession, and people choose to either go longer between services or go without.

“Like anybody else, I have felt a slowdown,” said Nassrin Shams, owner of Quintessence spa, 280 Railroad Ave., one of many independently owned spas in Greenwich. “I’ve definitely felt a decline in business; but to be honest, I’ve felt it for a year. It has been gradual.”

Shams estimates business is down about 30 percent over last fall.

Empy Constante, owner of Empy’s Day Spa, 179 Hamilton Ave., has seen about a 70 percent drop in business from last year.

“Thank God we have loyal clients,” said Constante, whose full-service spa has been in business for 23 years. “It’s been very hard for everybody, even more so in this town. A lot of our clients are very successful people.”

Some of her clients have called to cancel their appointments to cut expenses, Constante said, while others are limiting their number of visits.

“Clients who were coming for two blow-dries every two weeks now come for one,” said Constante, whose services include $38 blow-dries and a $58 manicure-pedicure package. “They wait a little more for their appointments.
“Across the board, people are cutting back.”

Shams agrees: “If they can do without something for a while, they’ll do that.”

While many day spas report steep declines in business, a few, such as Halcyon Spa, 151 Greenwich Ave., are seeing less of an effect from the sinking economy.

“We’re doing all right,” said Roberta Dianne, manager of Halcyon. “Do I see a different vibe? Definitely. Are we panicking that our doors are going to close? No.”

Halcyon, part of a chain of more than 40 spas and salons in North America, has been “pretty flat as far as money goes,” Dianne said.

“We’re in a good location. It’s very convenient for people to come in.”

Halcyon’s most popular services include an $85 basic massage, $20 manicure, $40 pedicure, $82 basic facial and waxing starting at $35, Dianne said.

Another area that’s suffered in the day spa and salon business, particularly in the larger shops, is retail sales.

“People haven’t been buying as much as last year; sales are down by 40 to 50 percent,” said Irina Patarkatsi, whose shop, Allura Salon & Day Spa, 23 W. Putnam Ave., sells gift items including jewelry, scarves, hats and candles.

As the flow of clients has slowed, shops such as Allura Salon & Day Spa, which has been in operation for about 25 years, have been forced to do some cost-cutting of their own.

“We’re cutting back a little bit on the cost of running the place,” said Patarkatsi, whose salon offers $22 manicures, $60 pedicures, facials for $135 and more, $50 blow-dries and a hair cut and blow-dry for $90. “Instead of three shampoo girls, we’ve cut it down to two on non-busy days.”

At Empy’s, Constante told about five employees not to come in Mondays through Wednesdays - generally the slower days in the spa business.

Shams, of Quintessence, doesn’t have to worry about having enough to pay her work force, because she is the work force in her one-woman operation.

“If you have bigger overhead, the more trouble you’re going to be in when you have a downturn in the economy,” Shams said. “Fortunately, that’s not my issue. I’m different than a larger day spa.

“It’s a little different when you just have to worry about yourself.”

Despite troubles large and small at town spas and salons, many owners said it is their loyal customers who will keep them afloat in stormy financial waters.

“I’ve run this business for 18 years, and I have a very established clientele,” said Julia Musayev, owner of Julia’s Facials, 1 W. Elm St.

Without calling day spas recession-proof, Musayev said she believes the industry offers services that are always going to be in demand.

“Everyone takes care of their skin,” Musayev said. “It’s all about beauty, health and mood.”

Allura’s Patarkatsi agrees that maintaining an attractive physical appearance is a top priority for people - especially women.

“Unless they have no money for food, it’s very important,” Patarkatsi said.

Maria Smith, owner of Serenity Spa, 116 E. Putnam Ave., said her business has remained sound - with only about 5 percent of her clients cutting back - caused in large part by personal relationships and people’s desire to look and feel good.

“Nobody is recession-proof, but clients have bonded with our therapists, and we have our repeat business,” said Smith, who has run Serenity Spa for more than seven years. “People like to take care of themselves. Women love to have facials. We see men as well.”

There is one other factor that encourages Musayev.

“I do see a difference (in business), but I feel it will not last for long, especially with the new president. I have a good feeling,” she said.

As for the holiday season, many day spa owners and managers are nervous, but all are hoping for a big boost.

“I hope everything’s going to get better, and it will be very, very busy,” Constante said.

 

 

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