RETAIL Tune-up and an up 'do? Offbeat pairings bring novelty and convenience together

A hair salon in a car repair shop turns out to be a good combination.
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Today's shoppers think nothing of zipping into a Barnes & amp; Noble bookstore for a cup of Starbucks coffee, or picking up a McDonald's Happy Meal at a Chevron gas station.
Now small, independent retailers are following their larger counterparts' lead, forging partnerships with other businesses to save money while they improve customer service and convenience.
A restaurant inside a bicycle store, a coffee place adjacent to a barbershop and a post office inside a gas station are just a few of the successful -- if seemingly unrelated -- combinations.
One-stop shopping
That new model is likely to become even more common as time-starved consumers find ways to knock out several tasks with one stop and small companies look for ways to make themselves stand out, said Ellen Tolley, spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation in Washington.
"The trend right now is consumers focusing on price, but a lot of retailers have a hard time competing on that level because they don't get mass discounts on products," Tolley said.
"What I do see happening is retailers, especially small retailers, looking for new and creative ways to bring in customers and keep customers."
So a car dealership that features a cafe is a natural. And though an auto repair shop and a hair salon seems like an unlikely pairing, imagine accomplishing something else while having your car's oil changed.
"Retailers are adjusting their thinking to the customers' point of view," Tolley said. "Where would you rather wait -- in a small room with a TV, or in a cafeteria where you can get a cup of coffee and talk to another person who's getting their car serviced?"
New design
Even before the economy shifted, car dealer Don Mackey was looking for new ways to make his customers and employees happy. So when he designed a new Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac and GMC dealership in Tucson, he built in a cafe -- but he never intended to run it. Instead, he arranged for a cafeteria management firm to take care of the little restaurant.
Mackey doesn't have to worry about it, and employees and customers love it.
"It's such a pleasant surprise for them. When you come in and have your car worked on, you might be here for two or three hours. So they can get refreshments or even food. They can get a full-course lunch back there," Mackey said.
The man who runs the eatery, Jay Moulton, owner of World Dining, is also in charge of cafeterias at nearby TeleTech and American Airlines.
For Moulton, the Mackey partnership is a near-perfect marriage: He reaps the profit from the cafe, but he doesn't have to worry about the building, equipment or even rent -- though he does provide free coffee to Mackey's customers and employees.
"I think it's great. You have a built-in customer base. You really don't have to market your business to the extent that you would have to do a free-standing restaurant," he said. "I don't have a downside to this."
Savvy businesses are creating partnerships that benefit themselves, too.
Hair and repair
Hair stylist Henry Castillon rents space at a car shop. The partnership works for Castillon because he can run his own show -- and because he is allergic to some chemicals other stylists use.
It works for Jacqui Harry, who owns the repair shop and the building, because she gets a little bit of rent -- and handy access to her favorite hairstylist.
Customers think it's a hoot.
"They say, 'Wow, we never thought about you being in this place,' " Castillon said.
"They like the novelty," Harry said. "I know that a lot of our customers have started to use Henry because it's convenient. If they're coming in for a small repair or an oil change, they'll call Henry at the same time."
Other benefits: Since the two businesses share a waiting room, when JayBees is busy Castillon chats up clients, and vice versa.
"This arrangement's wonderful in the fact that you always feel like there's somebody here to help watch, to help take care of the customers," Harry said.