For the past two decades, day spa pioneer Adam Broderick’s 12,000 square-foot salon and spa in Ridgefield, CT, has been the place to go for luxurious, quality-driven services. “We always updated every five years and did a major renovation every 10,” says Broderick, who calls his latest floor-to-ceiling renovation a repositioning. “The day spa business has changed. There are suite rentals now, keratin bars, blow-dry bars, waxing bars. It’s interesting to see all these spinoffs, but there is a real need for a large, full-service salon and spa like ours where clients can get all of their services under one roof.” While Broderick allows that some salon owners are frightened by all of the changes going on in our industry, he sees them as opportunities. “The concept of luxury service has changed dramatically,” he says. “Our clients include some of the wealthiest men and women in the area, but we also see their housekeepers and nannies.” Broderick is convinced that there is a huge group of people who are willing to splurge on beauty, but they want to book services when it’s convenient for them. To that end, the salon and spa is open seven days a week and offers evening hours for busy executives who want to be able to have their hair cut at seven o’clock at night. He also offers free daycare so stay-at-home moms can come in for services during the day. Another plus: Reservations are not always required, adding another convenience to clients with last-minute needs. “Access is the new luxury,” he says.
For Broderick, the one-stop-shopping experience includes a boutique that offers a variety of lash and brow services, the new “No Reservation Brow Concept” (tweezing services only), and a well-edited selection of fashion accessories, gifts and hot beauty brands. “Women will get their hair cut in someone’s kitchen if they can get a great haircut from that person,” he says, “but if you can offer a great technical experience in a beautiful, relaxing environment with a lot of amenities, that’s a home run.”—Marianne Dougherty