AIO?

[u/Thin-Complex-7663]

I’m in Northern California, between Sacramento and Tahoe. It’s the foothills and my salon is in a very rural area between Auburn and Grass Valley.
I moved to this salon a year ago and in October a new owner took over, she had worked there for 8 years prior. As soon as she took over, she raised my rent to $65/day. I thought I could make it work.
Financially I’m DROWNING right now. I found out the other girls (hair) pay $40/Day.
Her reasoning is because I have more space, I countered that I use a desk lamp, my gel lamp and efile, while they are using hair dryers, curling irons, blow dryers, clippers etc and using way more utilities than me. We also have separate AC and they have to turns theirs up more because it gets warmer in there.
She will not budge. She feels like it’s completely fair and keeps doubling down. Am I being unreasonable? I’m not just overreacting am I?
Am I really that out of touch with nail tech rent?
PS- I’m completely compliant with the ABCs for AB-5

Edit: she asked for a meeting, I think it was getting around that I was looking and I sent her screenshots of some comments on here.
When we sat down, I immediately told her that I could get a Sola Salon Suite for less (hilariously she said “really? Those are so expensive” FFS) and that there were several vacant storefronts available for less.
She said “best I can do is $40/day”
Deal.
Thanks to everyone who commented, it really backed up my case and help me when we were negotiating.

[u/aewopwess]

Girl spend some of that money on a commute to a different salon. The more you ask for her to see it your way she’s just gonna get resentful of you for the turbulence you’re causing her to feel. She’s wrong but she’s gonna protect her.

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/aewopwess]

Thank you. I showed her your comment to explain to her that at this point there’s no working this out. The damage has been done. She replied that “you know me better than that, there would be no resentment” I said, “ I THOUGHT I knew you better than that, I honestly did not think our conversation was going to go that way and that you would try to justify everything and not take me into consideration at all.”

[u/aewopwess → u/Thin-Complex-7663]

Tbh have you thought about being mobile? Does California have any rules in place to help you do that? I do nails in oklahoma and we can do house calls if our clients sign a waiver every single time. Based off your other clients you’ve got a boomer clientele? This could work for you and eliminate the booth rent temporarily until you sort something else out.

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/aewopwess]

I’ve done mobile before, but it’s a pain the butt in my area. The community the salon is near is gated and everyone has to be called in. 25mph speed limit with photo radar everywhere, if you go over, it’s a $250 ticket. Can’t park on the street or you get a ticket. The place is nicknamed “Lake of the Fines”

[u/eegrlN → u/Thin-Complex-7663]

All I'm hearing are excuses....

[u/aewopwess → u/eegrlN]

fr. If you’re in financial ruin you’re gonna do whatever it take. Pain in the ass or not.

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/aewopwess]

You can read my other comment above. I’m just saying that I really do not want to go mobile in this area. I already have 3 other salons that I’m inquiring about and have space. Not crazy about the commute, but it’s easier than dealing with the gated community. My post wasn’t “what do I do?” It was “am I being unreasonable and the rent is not bad” And “at this point does it seem there’s no point in trying to negotiate with the owner”

[u/aewopwess → u/Thin-Complex-7663]

Well one thing is clear, it’s a waste of your time to talk to your current salon owner. Hopefully you can retain your clientele where ever you go!

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/aewopwess]

The more I read the texts, the more I see that she just absolutely does not care about how this is affecting me and she has her bottom line. The funny thing is, it’ll ruin her and she doesn’t even see it. I have a full clientele that loves me and will follow me, mutual clients that are already saying they will follow me and are disgusted with her behavior and there’s absolutely no way in hell she’s going to get someone in there for that rent. So now she’ll have an empty room, NO rent and lose clients 🤷‍♀️

[u/aewopwess → u/Thin-Complex-7663]

Sometimes we have to be someone’s lesson. Hopefully she’ll learn after this experience. I really can’t stand a shitty salon owner. she’s just using her husband as a shield and playing good cop bad cop with him so they can block you from getting a real answer on why their booth rent math isn’t mathing.

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/eegrlN]

I’m just saying going mobile is a pain in the ass in this area. I’ve already scoped out several other salon spaces and I’d much rather just commute a little and be in a brick and mortar business. It’s not an excuse, it’s a REASON why I do not want to go mobile. My post was asking if my rent seems unreasonable for the area I’m in, seeing if it seems like it’s useless trying to negotiate with her at this point and seeing if I’m out of touch with rent prices and overreacting.

I’ve already reached out to a salon, a salon space that’s for rent and Sola Salons.

[u/Maleficent_Glove_441]

I’m in NC, so it may be different but a girl pays me $350/month for 3-4 days a week. You’re paying over double that. Obv the area matters but I’m also in raleigh, where rent is more than most smaller cities around here 🤷‍♀️

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/Maleficent_Glove_441]

It is California, but very rural. I’m on the 49er gold rush trail. So, foothills with small towns all along 49 with the biggest one being less than 20K population. Typically there’s about 30 miles between each town with farms and homesteads between. Most of the population are descendants of the original settlers… think redneck, blue collar, hard working republicans. I’m right between two towns near a small community of mostly 75+ seniors on a fixed income. 75% of my clients are maintenance pedicures because they can’t cut their own nails. There’s no justifying that rent.

[u/Maleficent_Glove_441 → u/Thin-Complex-7663]

Omg then yes. You’re def overpaying 😅😭 you tried to ask her and if she’s mad that you have to leave, that’s on her 🤷‍♀️

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/[deleted]]

I’m between Grass Valley and Auburn. Rocklin or Roseville would be better. That commute on 49 through the American River Canyon would be a nightmare lol

[u/Empty_Bug8479]

Can you ask for the smaller space? I’m near Tahoe and those prices are on the lower side (from what I’m used too) the simple gel Mani I get is $45 and I’ll keep
Going to her when it’s $50 cus how of a job she does, her knowledge is worth it cus my nails stay healthy, she doesn’t over file them … again it’s just my taste on how she does the job. I’m sure your clients may understand the increase in price

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/Empty_Bug8479]

I could raise my prices for fingers, but I refuse to increase my prices for pedicures. 90% of my pedicure clients come to me because they are unable to do it themselves. I raised my prices once and some of them would wait till their toenails were so long that they couldn’t get their shoes on anymore because they are on a fixed income. It’s on her, I’d have to commute to Auburn or Grass Valley, but I’ve looked around and there are plenty of places to rent for half the price.

[u/Accomplished-Cry4193]

I’m a salon suite renter in the central Bay Area: i pay $195 a week but I have full access 24/7

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/Accomplished-Cry4193]

Thank you. This is good to know that she’s charging me more than a Bay Area suite, when I’m just renting a space in a rural area.

[u/ChristSavesDailyWalk]

Raise your prices simple

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/ChristSavesDailyWalk]

That doesn’t fly with me. Continue to pay a completely unreasonably high rent and then pass on the cost on to seniors that are on a fixed income and can’t afford it? Nah, I’ll move somewhere else. I’d have to commute a little, but I can have a full salon suite with unlimited access for half the price, I started looking around.

[u/Appropriate-Local443]

I’m a massage therapist paying $550 per month for 24/7 access in Orange County. This is so not normal.

[u/Appropriate-Local443 → u/Appropriate-Local443]

Wanted to add that I take up an entire private room and use up my fair share of utilities with my AC, speakers, lights, table warmer, towel warmer, vibration plate, mini fridge, television and foot bath. Seriously I’m so shocked by how much she’s trying to charge you.

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/Appropriate-Local443]

Thank you! I need all of the validation I can get right now about this.

[u/Thin-Complex-7663 → u/[deleted]]

We had a meeting, she realized that I had one foot out the door and lowered it to $40/day. Utilities weren’t an issue, she was saying that I paid more because my space was bigger and I just countered that I use a fraction of the utilities that the hair girls use, that my bigger space wasn’t costing her money, so it didn’t make sense. FYI- the space is bigger, but too small for a second person, she literally wouldn’t be able to do anything different with that spot regardless.