Rose Macias, Regional Manager for iStudio, at the recently opened Ft. Lauderdale location.

"This venue gives the artist the freedom to embrace their art without worrying about the day-to-day pressures of running your own business –everything else is taken care of." - Randall Adams, Stylist

When I first encountered the IStudio space in the Southport Shopping Center, I studied the entranceway not quite knowing what to make of it. Modern signage broadcasted "salon" yet the feeling of the shop seems so "Soho" that I stopped to stare, trying to figure out exactly what this store was selling. The sleek black, red and white signature design almost spoke perhaps of a television editing space or maybe a new advertising studio. A huge portrait of a female model smiling posed over various small numeric signage got me intrigued. I wanted to explore this new space further, so I stepped inside.

Two stylists greeted me as I entered, introducing themselves, and soon unraveled the mystery.
"It's an artist community," explained Randall Adams, the stylist located in Bay 28. He motioned to all of the numbers under the photo of the lady smiling. "Each one of these numbers is a separate salon. We all specialize in different things. Some of us do color and styling – like myself. Others are nail technicians, estheticians, make-up artists, do message, air-brushed tattoos and hair extensions or straightening."

Each cubicle studio is uniquely decorated, according to the taste of the artist, with their business cards attached outside the door, each stylist specializing in his or her unique beauty craft. The potential client could walk around - checking out so to speak - each cubicle studio, to see which artist best suited what specialty they were most interested in.

"There's nothing really like it," said Adams, who owned and operated his own salon for over 11 years, and who was all too familiar with the day-to- day headaches of running his own operation.
David Scott Stephens, another of iStudio's artists, specializing in custom-blended make-up, added:
"It's a turn-key operation without the hassles of the artist worrying about dealing with the details of bookkeeping, electric, water bills and janitorial services –they've eliminated the aggravation of running your own business; you're under their umbrella."

Originating two years ago, outside of Orlando, in Maitland, Florida, iStudio was the brainchild of two cousins, James Schregardus and Mark Abbett; neither of which were stylists, but wanted to build on a unique business concept. They sought out the latest high-end designers to employ their ideas; namely the same designers who worked with such name brands as "The Limited" and "Victoria Secret".

"They spent a good year on working on their marketing and design," stated Rose Macias, joining iStudios as Regional Manager in December of 2011; a veteran manager who has worked in the stylist business for over 40 years. "The design aesthetic is the same across the board for all of our locations. We deal with the entrepreneurship – the licensure, janitorial services, electric and water bills, etc., - but for a weekly rent, each artist gets to keep 100% of their income."

Marcias gave me a tour adding: "Each studio space comes with a sink, some furniture and a mirror, but additional furniture as well as the interior decoration of each space is up to each stylist. They are also responsible for their own marketing and their own appointments."

"The draw for establishing the Ft. Lauderdale location was its centrality as well as the walk-in traffic obtained from the cruise-ship vacationers," she added, "although each stylist is already established and brings with them their own clientele. This is the future of salons. Stylists are getting tired of the headaches of running their own businesses; keeping up the building, the maintenance – we provide housekeeping as well as 24-hour security."

Cubicle studio space in each iStudio differs, but the Ft. Lauderdale location ranged from 100 sq. ft to 160 and 200 sq. ft., with 24-hour access to the building, as well as modern restroom facilities and a lunchroom.
"I could never have afforded a storefront in this part of town," stated David Stephens Scott, a transplanted New York City make-up artist whose notable theater district clientele once included Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Scott ran three salons in various NYC locations before relocating to Ft. Lauderdale in the late 1990's, establishing his Las Olas studio. "It's a very desirable part of town," he added.

"I was at the point where I wanted a retail environment which was more conducive for clients to stop by when I ran into a friend of mine – Randall - who told me about this new operation. It was exactly what I was looking for."

"This feels like a village of professionals that care about each other," states Adams, who relocated his salon operations in February of 2012. "I want to see everyone succeed here."

Besides their recently opened Ft. Lauderdale location in February of 2012, iStudio also presently has three operating Orlando locations (with a fourth Orlando location opening in the Fall of this year) as well as one in Valparaiso, Indiana (near Chicago)also expected to open in the Fall of 2012.