How does an individual entrepreneur maintain a growing market position for over 10 years? It’s a winning combination of savvy management and a totally unique staging platform. 

Z Salon and Spa in Louisville, KY is the Secretariat of the image and spa industry. Entrepreneurial winner Zenda Stakelbeck is like the thoroughbred racehorse that won the Triple Crown: she’s way ahead of the pack.

 
Her secret? Do what others don’t.
Zenda wanted to stand alone, to make a statement with a strong image and true Southern style & hospitality. She envisioned smiling staff greeting each guest, holding the door open, ushering them into a place they would never forget.

Zenda had the drive to succeed, a dedication to craft, and an acute gut level understanding of the industry.  One example of Z’s attention to detail: VIP packages include a limo or luxury car pickup, scented with your choice of essential oil.

Her vision became reality when she opened her second location in 2001, a 21,000 sq.ft. facility called Z Salon and Spa. Today, as she nears 11 years in business, with three locations and 120 employees, it’s a story of a gutsy expansion done right. 

Zenda credits International Design Concepts, her design team, with a portion of that success.  “Our ability to handle the high number of guests we serve is the flow that IDC created. There’s an ease with moving people,” she said.

The Drive to Grow
Having opened her first salon in 1976, Zenda understood the business. She’d built a 7,500 sq. ft. salon and spa in a mall that was so successful that gift card appointments were 3 months out. She dreamed of a freestanding facility with a full range of spa and image enhancement services, all under one roof. 

She hired a local architect, but wasn’t wowed with the results. On a cruise for spa professionals, Zenda met Michael Effler of IDC, a respected design firm with more than 25 years’ spa and wellness experience. They clicked.

Michael met with Zenda to unpack the functional elements of Zenda's vision. Her desire to create “more than a spa” included significant retail areas; a space for weddings and groups; a unique, seamless customer service experience; and a generous number of stations and treatment areas, including a men’s area.

Zenda took Michael on a driving tour of the city. She pointed out styles, colors, and architecture that caught her eye, exploring everything from other spa businesses to the city library. 

Location, location, location
In addition to physical size requirements, Zenda’s vision required an ideal site in a natural, yet highly visible location where Z Salon and Spa could establish a permanent, physical brand. To make her own powerful statement, she needed a freestanding building, away from other businesses.

Michael and Zenda reviewed several potential sites and chose a former restaurant on a site backing up to the green University of Kentucky campus, yet highly visible from a busy thoroughfare. The building’s cinder block core walls were strong enough to support a second story to expand the space. IDC’s value engineering enabled 65% of the mechanical systems to be reused, a sustainable solution.

Creative trust
IDC Managing Director Michael Effler knew the project would be special. "Zenda’s high degree of trust created the potential to develop a truly spectacular place," said Michael. In return, IDC created a working sculpture to house Zenda’s dream, including these key components:
Curb appeal: Zenda needed the power of classic design to command authority. For that unforgettable “wow” effect that can’t look like anything else, IDC refashioned the pedestrian restaurant façade into a distinctive contemporary fusion.

Sense of arrival: To create a powerful sense of entrance and heightened experience, Michael designed a grand entry with spiraling staircases, with Kentucky light falling from tall windows. Because the ‘extras’ ~ private suites, training rooms, offices and booking areas ~ are housed on the second story, the first floor is exclusively for guests. 

Major retail component: IDC opened up the front of the building to allow a large area for visual merchandising, visible 24 x 7.

Private Twin Towers: To provide a unique space for weddings and groups, IDC created twin tower rooms above the spa's public space. With service areas for lounging and taking food, the two suites create a private world with private entrances, showers and balcony. Flanking a majestic staircase, twin fireplaces offer a warm invitation to relax.

Green Ambiance: To capitalize on the facility's green setting, the IDC team added outdoor cabanas for specialized services in a garden area, creating a special sense of privacy and ambiance. 

For Men Only: Z was one of the first spas to create a separate treatment and service area for men, offering a rich, warm experience in a guys’ lounge with manicure and pedicure.

Educational Platform: The facility was designed for educational operations, allowing high-performance staff to oversee the more junior team members. In line with Zenda's spirit of service and going beyond the usual spa, a theater-in-the-round was added for group presentations and classes for her staff. This upstairs rotunda is now a sanctuary area with 17 loungers.