It isn’t too early to start planning for Cosmoprof North America (www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com) on July 13-15 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, the top business-to-business trade show of the year for beauty store owners and managers, and beauty product distributors.

In 2007, Cosmoprof North America debuted its OTC experimental program to expand the presence of OTC decision-makers. As I noted in a post-show editor’s note in our magazine, the program—like so many of the other great changes that Daniela Ciocan, marketing director for Sogecos Americas, brought to last year’s show in her very first year on the job—was welcomed by OTCs and proved an excellent addition. But there were some kinks that needed to be worked out. After receiving feedback from the Professional Beauty Association (www.probeauty.org) members, including the organization’s manufacturers rep firm members and attendees, show organizers are continuing the program this year with numerous improvements.

Under the 2008 OTC program, offered in partnership with the PBA, OTC decision-makers may receive a travel reimbursement of up to $150; a complimentary three-day $100 show ticket; and free admission to the Beauty Store Business OTC seminar. More exciting details about that educational event—which marks the third straight year I’m involved in a Cosmoprof North America seminar—will come later.

Under the OTC program, an OTC is defined as an open-to-the-public beauty store (a beauty supply or a salon store) or a distributor with at least one beauty store. See www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com/visitors/OTCProgram.aspx. Those interested in participating have a choice of registering directly at the Cosmoprof North America website or working with seven rep firms and their respective program contacts (or their respective firms’ designated program heads): The Kirschner Group (program contact: Harlan Kirschner, 661/257-6260); Gerry Udell Group (Gary Udell, 973/338-3100); Van Nest Coleman & Associates (Andy Howe, 972/247-3330, ext. 231); Marc Spilo Sales (Myriam Clifford, 800/347-7456, 213/687-8600); Greg Dawson & Associates (Erika Rivercomb, 317/843-2193); Southeast Rep Services (Tom Crumpton, 803/285-8689, 803/285-8690); and Ted Fishman & Associates (Ted Fishman, 847/714-0770). OTC decision-makers are being directed to contact their reps from the seven firms, who are now promoting the program, for more details.

To qualify for the program, housing reservations must be made through the Cosmoprof North America website or a travel agent using a special code, which participants may obtain from their manufacturers reps or the website. Participants must collect on a special CPNA 2008 form five signatures from either manufacturers rep firms or companies exhibiting on the show floor whom they visit, then drop by the PBA booth on the show floor to obtain a PBA sign-off. After the show, participants will be required to mail in the form along with a copy of the hotel reservation receipt and will then receive the travel reimbursement.

This is an unbelievable opportunity for OTCs! If you have any problems at all regarding the improved ’08 program and can’t reach a rep firm’s program contact or designated program head, or CPNA, feel free to email me at mbirenbaum@creativeage.com, and I’ll be sure to forward your email so that it gets to the right person who can assist you.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

Wahl Clipper Corp.’s Professional Division (wahlpro.com), based in Illinois, is on the move once again with an interesting pickup: Earlier this month, it acquired Kayline (kaylinebeauty.com), the longtime supplier of haircare and nailcare equipment, and other products.

Kayline’s production will continue to be based in California, and Dottie and Ken Reiner will stay on “to help with the transition and continuation” of the business, says Jim Wahl, Wahl Clipper’s executive vice president. Both are “tremendous people who have built a great business in Kayline,” he adds. Bo Langley, the pro division’s director of marketing and sales, will assist in Kayline’s management.

This is the second time this major salon appliance player has gone shopping in the past six months: At Cosmoprof North America last July, the company announced its expansion into the wet goods category—buying SOMA Hair Technology (mysomahair.com). Lance Wahl, Jim’s son, is the brand’s general manager.

Unlike a number of other salon manufacturers, Wahl likes to quietly go about its business—something that I admire and find refreshing. At the major cash-and-carry shows, I often wonder if stylists realize they’re buying merchandise at the company’s booth from top executives.

Wahl’s announcement regarding Kayline states that this latest move increases its position as a supplier of American-made products for the salon industry. Is the company on the hunt for more U.S. lines? Stay tuned…

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

I absolutely love this time of the year because it combines two passions of mine at benchmarks: the start of the professional beauty industry trade show season and the end of another year of NFL football. What new products will exhibitors have for our readers at the Western Buying Conference (westernbuyingconference@verizon.net) next week in Las Vegas? (I can’t wait!) Will the New England Patriots beat the San Diego Chargers this Sunday and then win Super Bowl XLII with a 19-0 record on Feb. 3? (YES!) You may laugh, but I’m in touch with a number of salon industry executives across North America every week, and these two topics trump a lot of others right now.

This season last year, our full-time editors at Beauty Store Business covered five trade shows in and out of the pro beauty biz in a 15-day span. With an attempt at cloning ourselves and the help of our freelance writers, this year we’re shooting for nine shows in 22 days.

In the pro industry, the craziness starts this weekend with the 11th Beauty Expo USA (beautyexpousa.com) at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta. Associate editor Manyesha Batist will be heading up our coverage there, and associate publisher/advertising director Jerry Lovell will also be there. Visit us in booth 207. I’ll be at the Western Buying Conference Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at the Las Vegas Hilton & Convention Center (and Jerry will also be on the show floor at the WBC). Visit us in booth 202. On Sunday, I’m going to try to squeeze a little bit of the NFL conference championships (Go, Green Bay Packers!) in between setup and being an invited fly-on-the-wall in select manufacturers rep firms-suppliers meetings. And associate editor Shelley Moench-Kelly will be roaming the aisles of the California Gift Show (californiagiftshow.com) on Saturday and Sunday at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The real fun starts the following weekend with the International Salon & Spa Expo (probeauty.org/isse/) in Long Beach, CA, and Beauty Revolution (beautyrevolution.com) in downtown Los Angeles. You’ll see all of us at both shows. At ISSE, visit us at booth 812, the same as last year. And at Beauty Revolution, visit us at booth 1708. Let the shows — and the stretch run to Glendale, AZ — begin!

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

L’Oréal USA (lorealusa.com), the New York City-based subsidiary of L’Oréal, announced on Monday the acquisition of Charlotte, NC-based Columbia Beauty Supply, the well-respected, family-owned, full-service salon products distributorship. Welcome to 2008 and the continuing, professional beauty industry changes taking place at warp-like speed—driven, to a large extent, by this French-based beauty giant who has just pulled off another brilliant move in the big salon-industry chess game.

According to L’Oréal’s press release and online announcement, CBS, with its network of pro-only beauty stores and DSCs in four Southeast states, generated 2007 sales of $60 million, and will be managed by Clearwater, FL-based Beauty Alliance Inc. within L’Oréal USA’s Professional Products Division.

“As with BAI and Maly’s West, this acquisition will enable us to further control diversion, while creating better services and efficiencies to the benefit of salons, our brands, other non-L’Oréal brands and consumers of salon products,” says David Craggs, division president.

Don Anderson, president and CEO of CBS, which was founded in 1920, adds, “Columbia Beauty Supply’s mission to provide education, opportunity, products and service with integrity to the benefit of our customers, manufacturers, community and our employees mirrors perfectly that of L’Oréal USA and BAI.”

In a letter “to all members of the beauty industry” on his company’s home page, Anderson also notes:
• He and his family decided to sell “after a long period of deliberation.”
• CBS will operate “as a separate entity to be managed by BAI.”
• “CBS will continue to operate in much the same way as we do today. I will remain with the company, and Beth and Brian will continue in their key management roles. Our family will remain involved, will assist with the growth plans for years to come, and we will do our best to maintain our unique culture and proud heritage in the process.”

Is all this big news? Certainly. Another huge distributor is gobbled up by one of the world’s leading beauty companies, which owns a growing number of exclusive- and open-line salon brands. Will this affect the entire North American salon industry? You bet! Is it surprising? No. In fact, I’m shocked it didn’t happen immediately after last summer’s Cosmoprof North America in Las Vegas. Will we see more of this sort of thing? Absolutely. As I stated in an editor’s note in the November 2007 issue of Beauty Store Business, we’ll see other pro beauty distributorships acquired by L’Oréal USA over a multiyear period. And now, just in time for the upcoming trade-show season industry pundits (including yours truly) we’ll get to ask: Which will be the next one?

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

Currently, the Professional Beauty Association (probeauty.org) is accepting Applications of Interest for Distributor Leadership Council members. This is a great opportunity to play an important role in the future of the salon industry, and I urge you to consider applying. The deadline to apply is Jan. 21. Check out the application at 2008 PBA LC Application. A Nominating Committee is scheduled to review applications during February.

PBA Distributor Leadership Council members represent distributor members regarding the trade association’s strategic plans, education and events, and serve two-year terms. Don’t be fooled by the PBA’s distributor term here. This PBA section includes those from salon stores and OTCs along with full-service distributorships and other types of distributorships. Right now there are only two women on this council: president Sydney Berry of Renton, WA-based Salon Services & Supplies salonservicesnw.com and Lori Silverstein of Burlingame, CA-based Peninsula Beauty Supply peninsulabeauty.com. And there’s no one from the multicultural sector per se.

The PBA is also accepting Applications of Interest for Manufacturer Leadership Council members, and Salon and Spa Leadership Council members by Jan. 21.

If you have any questions about what service on a leadership council entails, the application itself or the nominating process, please contact Samantha Alvis, PBA’s Director of Leadership Operations, samantha@probeauty.org, 800/468-2274, ext. 117, in Scottsdale, AZ. Resolve to shape an even better professional beauty industry across North America in 2008.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc