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Men Help Drive The Boost In Waxing

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The economy has caused many businesses to cut back and downsize, but one chain is ready to set up dozens of locations in Minnesota -- and that may be because of men.

The European Wax Center keeps expanding and the company hopes to have 20 to 25 stores in Minnesota soon.

The center is basically a salon where you can only get waxed.

"Waxing is a really personal experience, and you want to make sure that you can do it well and do it right," said Laura Kottke, a European Wax Center Developer.

Kottke and co-developer, Alicia Wagner, saw it coming early. They knew Minnesota was ready for waxing-only boutiques.

They opened their first European Wax Center in 2010. In the last three months, they opened three more.

There is a boom in the waxing world and men are helping drive the demand.

Part of the reason lies in the company's wax -- made exclusive for The European Wax Center and purchased in bulk.

"There's no alcohol, no harsh chemicals, so it's great for sensitive skin," said Wagner.

Helping keep prices down is what Kottke said is key to success.

"We're providing a service that you're usually spending twice, maybe three times as much (on), and so we actually grew during the recession. That's when we blew up and expanded," she said.

The most popular waxing jobs on men at the store are backs and eyebrows.

The European Wax Center plans on opening five to seven more stores in Minnesota within a year.

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