Menicure is a full-service men’s grooming lounge specialized in men’s aesthetics such as hair removal and nail care. We talked with owner and president, Richard Arnold, to find out more about them.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Menicure Grooming for Men.
Menicure specializes in men’s aesthetics, specifically nail care (manicures/pedicures), and body hair grooming/removal (trimming, shaving, waxing, sugaring, and laser hair removal).
What made you want to do this work?
We see so much room to be made for men to feel welcome and included in the aesthetics world. Body hair and your nails are nothing to be ashamed of, ever! We want to see men looking and feeling comfortable in their skin. We also want to be known as a safe space where men can bring their specific needs, because a lot of people still tend to see men’s grooming through a feminized lens. Our aestheticians specialize in grooming for men, so our clients can have assurance that whatever they need, we have experience with.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
One word – stigma! We want to see men feeling confident in themselves and how they look, and be comfortable walking into a space and asking for the service that they want. So many men are shy about body hair and nail care, and we want to change that. Plus, we want to see men have a place to relax! It’s no secret that our lounge is, well, a lounge. With our beverage bar, deep-seat leather chairs, Bluetooth sound cones, and private drop-down TVs, we want to provide a relaxing experience where someone can genuinely enjoy their experience. We love to see men investing in themselves with self-care.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
Men of all ages, but our clientele is primarily 35-65.
While we welcome everyone (men, women, non-binary) we primarily serve cisgender men.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
Our business model is the same as any spa/aesthetics model – we sell services at a fixed rate that are provided by an aesthetician. We also have a small number of retail products.
Where in Toronto can we find your profession?
Menicure is located at 685 Queen St W
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
Often we get asked what differentiates our services from other spas and in general we reply that we have training and education specific to men’s needs. For a direct comparison, if you look at pedicures as an example, ours are much more about whole feet care (nails included), whereas female-oriented spas are much more nail care oriented.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
I’m going to answer this one from worst to best. The worst part is when someone has had a bad experience that discourages them from coming in because we know we can change their mind.
The best part is when we can give someone a good experience, and you can see them wear their confidence. Often you can see the difference in how someone carries themselves before vs after coming in, and that’s so rewarding.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
We don’t joke about that, it can get a little hairy….
What are your social media channels?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Toronto business that you love?
Let’s keep in in Queen West – Lola’s Coffee and our neighbours The Momo House.
