Massages. Waxes. Manicures. Some of the most popular franchises this year are concepts offering quick, convenient and affordable luxury services.   Massage Envy and Hand & Stone are just two of the many systems making health and beauty service more easily accessible to consumers. Even this month’s issue of the Entrepreneur devotes a large article about the trend in “democratizing luxury” for patrons who want a “better, cheaper experience in just 15 minutes.”

But don’t think this movement is dominated by only female-centric franchise models. Savvy businesses are now expanding the reach of these services to men and having a lot of success in doing so.   Grooming Lounge is a franchise system based in Washington D.C. where male customers can get a shave, haircut as well as nail services. Grooming Lounge describes itself as combining “the comfort and atmosphere of a classic barbershop with the advances of a modern men’s spa.” The Franchise Times also recently featured a story on the launch of Michael Eliot’s Hammer & Nails franchise concept – a nail salon catering to men where each customer has his own television and headset to block out the sound of grooming. While the article reports that only 4% of men in the United States are nail salon customers, Eliot hopes to change that statistic by using athletes as role models. Many NBA players are reported to get pedicures for basic hygiene reasons and MLB pitchers get manicures in order to avoid hangnails and related finger issues.    While it is too early to predict whether these franchise systems will attract a large enough male customer base to achieve the growth necessary for success, it will certainly be interesting to follow their efforts to see if this luxury services trend will spread to both men and women equally.  There is, however, one thing emerging franchises should keep in mind. Marketing to women has advantages. Grooming Lounge founder, Michael Gilman, is quoted in the Franchise Times as saying “I have so many guys who come in with a gift certificate from their wife and tell us, ‘This is not really my thing and then the same guys walk out and say they love it.’”