- A good scratch can be worth a wad of cash.
You have a horrendous itch in a spot you just can’t reach. It can get so bad that you’d be ready to pay someone to scratch it.
That’s what this Chinese health business operator is banking on.
Zhang Xiaoqiao is a Chinese serial entrepreneur who’s always on the lookout for new ideas. Now, however, he might slow down the rate at which he opens new businesses because he’s found success in a decidedly unique market niche.
He runs beauty salons where people get gently scratched.
Although the idea sounds weird, his scratching treatments have become a huge hit in China. People are paying top yuan for the attendants to scrape their backs, limbs, and faces with admittedly freaky-looking fake nails and claws.
Zhang’s operation is so popular that he’s been able to open another branch, yet he still can’t satisfy all the demand. That’s just fine with him, because the ambitious businessman dreams of a China-spanning scratching salon empire.
Like a Massage with Claws
Zhang’s scratching salons operate under the brand name Suma. Were you to enter one, you’d be greeted by a cheery receptionist who will ask you about the type and length of scratching service you’d like.
A standard session at Suma lasts for an hour. For that, you’ll have to pay 300 yuan (about $45).
Once the formalities are done, you’ll be led to a space that looks much like a massage room. You’ll bare the area you want the therapist to scratch, cover potentially revealed unmentionables with a towel, and lie down on the massage table.
Then, your professional scratcher enters. On their fingers, he or she will sport wild-looking, long, and sharp fake nails or claws.
The appearance of the nails can vary, at least based on Suma’s social media posts. In some photos and videos, Zhang is using something that resembles barbecue meat-shredding claws, while others show his female employees sporting dainty, fancily decorated nails.
During the session, the therapist runs the claws gently along your designated areas. They may also scratch a particularly itchy spot.
Once the scratching hour is over, you’ll get dressed, thank your scratcher, and go on your merry way. And if the success of Zhang’s business is anything to go by, you will be back.
Quick Success Story
Zhang got his crazy business idea from an offhand social media comment. While watching a video of a wife scratching her itchy husband, he noticed a comment where someone said they’d be ready to pay someone to scratch them.
That remark lit a figurative lightbulb in Zhang’s entrepreneurial mind. He was no stranger to opening new and unusual businesses, having previously started two (less than successful) e-commerce businesses.
He wanted his new physical enterprise to be a greater success, however. Zhang spent considerable time researching whether scratching therapy is a real thing and what the best ways were to itch a person.
Two years ago, he opened the first Suma branch. The scratching service quickly exploded in popularity.
Perhaps surprisingly for the therapy and beauty industry, most of Zhang’s customers are men.
“We serve both male and female customers, with males comprising about 70%. Some customers have said our service is more relaxing than a massage, leading to a strong base of returning clients,” he told the South China Morning Post.
Today, Zhang has expanded to two Suma stores. New businesses are often notorious for not turning a profit for several years, but Zhang has already recuperated his investment and is earning money. Between the two locations, he’s raking in $15,000 a month – not bad at all for a small Chinese business.
But Zhang is not content to rest on his laurels. His ambitious goal is to open 100 branches all throughout China and to establish his scratching service as a respected and legitimate therapy.
Scraping Out the Good Chemicals
Does Zhang’s envisioned scratching salon empire have any verifiable backing as a real therapy form? Why, it does.
Gentle scratching can stimulate nerve endings much in the same way as a massage does. Although it doesn’t actually damage your skin, your body registers scratching as something harmful and releases a cocktail of feel-good chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin.
Together with the salon’s calm environment, this chemical release can produce a deep sense of relaxation, relieving stress and anxiety. It’s not a cure for any physical illness, but it can certainly help you take a deep breath and relax.
And that is Zhang’s goal.
“In first-tier cities, people generally experience high levels of stress. As a result, this service is in great demand,” he said.
Note that we’re talking about very gentle scratching. Scraping yourself too vigorously can break the skin, which can then lead to wounds, bleeding, and inflammation.
Zhang, however, assures his clients that they won’t have to worry about injuries at his clinics. He and his employees are professionals who know what they’re doing.