by Donna Hruska

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Ella Davis and Penny Stender put their last children into school and went into business helping other women develop their beauty potential. Their enterprise, a robert-marc make-up studio, was an instant success.

“The first week,” Penny says, “in spite of the fact that the telephone company failed to install our phone, we booked appointments for a full month, including two major fashion shows. We can’t believe the demand there is for our service.”

Part of that demand stems from the fact that make-up is big business in the United States. Cosmetics were sixth in retail sales in 1969, according to the Statistical Abstract. Cosmetics and toilet articles are the tenth largest gross national product, attesting to the American woman’s determination to stay young and beautiful. Even in the depression, say industry spokesmen, the beauty business suffered less than many others. When a woman is down, nothing does more to raise her spirits than an improvement in her appearance.

Ella and Penny’s shop is small, only 250 square feet, plus a small office in the loft of the building. It is decorated in pink and plum with exposed beams and magnificent antiques. The shag carpeted living room-like setting is designed to give the customer a relaxing hour in a convivial atmosphere where she can sip champagne or coffee and visit with her friends while getting a complete make-up consultation, including training in how to apply the cosmetics herself. The consultants wear no uniforms or smocks and there are no clocks. Customers are encouraged to stop in to visit even if they aren’t in need of more beauty aids. The popularity of this approach is as evident as the shop door that constantly swings as customers come in to make appointments, get further help with their make-up problems or just visit.

Location is important for any business. When Penny’s husband, Burton, and his partner Daniel Benzaquen, decided to convert the abandoned railroad station in the central business district of Flossmoor, Illinois, into small shops and boutiques, the girls knew they had the perfect spot for their make-up studio. The old wood and stuccoed building, built in the grand manner of stations fifty years ago, was a natural for small shops with real character and potential, and its location in an affluent suburb provided the kind of clientele that would support a studio type of operation.

Flossmoor is twenty-five miles south of Chicago on the Illinois Central commuter line. The village has a population of almost 8,000 and an average family income of over $30,000.

“We toyed with the idea of going on our own with our own private label, but we soon discovered we didn’t know enough,” said Ella Davis. “We shopped quite extensively for a franchise and felt that robert-marc offers the most complete business concept. We haven’t been sorry.”

There are now eight robert-marc studios in operation with the number expected to jump to eighteen early in 1972. They are the brainchild of their name-sake, robert-marc, whose corporation offers the franchise. Bob, as the robert-marc girls call him, was a child actor appearing for years on the Lone Ranger radio program. He took acting lessons from Jay Silverheels, the famous voice of Tonto, and did modeling and summer stock, playing with stars such as Edward G. Robinson and Zsa Zsa Gabor. At fifteen, he moved to Los Angeles and found himself in the awkward age—too young for adult parts and too old for children’s parts. Instead of acting, he became a hairdresser and make-up artist for the movie studios, where he trained under Westmore of Universal.

Five years ago Bob felt the retail market was right for a cosmetic studio which would give a woman an opportunity to try her make-up before buying and offer her trained help with her beauty problems without charge. With a borrowed $800 he got his initial line of products together and found the market for his personal approach to be even more extensive than he had expected.

“Too many women have a drawer full of make-up that didn’t work out,” he says. “We offer a popularly priced, hypoallergenic product, a demonstration, a ten-page personalized booklet of instruction and follow-up counseling. We keep a record on each customer so that she always gets the same service no matter who helps her.

Although Penny Stender had worked at a variety of jobs before settling down to raise her children, neither she nor Ella had any real business experience.

“We looked for a franchise that offered a complete package and were lucky to find what we wanted,” she says. “We got a turn-key price that included everything—a superior product, site selection, interior decorating and building, inventory, equipment, advertising and promotion, business procedures and cosmetic training. If we have a problem, we call Bob and he comes immediately to straighten it out.”

The personalized service to the franchisee exists for a reason.

“I’d rather end up with fifty quality shops with my name on them than two hundred franchises that give poor service,” says robert-marc. Franchisees must meet certain standards of personal appearance and ability and under-go a six weeks training program that is completely up-dated every three months. Training starts with bone structure and is meant to be truly individualized. He watches inventory to see that no shop sells too much of one item.

“We don’t want all women coming out of our shops looking the same,” he says.

There is an incentive profit structure that rewards success. All supplies are purchased through the franchisor, but items that do not move can be returned or exchanged.

Although a man would be a welcome investor, the consultants in the shop must be women. Usually, the staff consists of two full time workers, including a working owner, and two or three part-time consultants. Some of the studio owners have glamorous backgrounds. Alma Palmer in Evergreen Park, Illinois, was a beauty contestant, coming in second in the Miss Nicaragua and Sophia Loren Look-Alike contests. Nancy Warsaw in the Lincolnwood shop was a model as a child. Others, like Penny and Ella and Florence Ross, the studio owner in Scottsdale, Arizona, were housewives and mothers who were ready to go out into the business world.

Locations are chosen as carefully as owners. Each shop has a restricted area based on population and the area must have a minimum family income to qualify. The studios’ repeat business is protected because the make-up is an exclusive product not sold elsewhere.

The cautious approach and personal attention have paid off. So far, all of the shops have been a success and some have returned their initial investment within six months.

Penny and Ella work in the studio themselves and have two other fully trained consultants working a limited number of hours per week. This gives the shop owners the freedom to manage both home and business without neglecting their families.

Much of their promotion is through direct mail pieces, always in red ink on pink stationery and carrying the three tulip robert-marc logo. One which they plan to use in May is a scented personal letter sent to husbands of customers that begins, “Hi Honey, I hate to write you at home, but I don’t know where else to reach you and I feel there is something that you ought to know about your wife…” It goes on to suggest a gift certificate for Mother’s Day or any special occasion. Purchases are wrapped in shocking pink tissue paper and are carried home in tiny red and white shopping bags decorated with the company logo.

Other promotion includes television guest spots and personal appearances by robert-marc and features and column items in local newspapers. Most of this is arranged by the franchisor’s publicity director. Shortly after opening, the Flossmoor shop was featured in a three-quarter page spread in a major Chicago daily paper.

Penny and Ella feel they have found the ideal career.

“For a relatively small investment, we have a steady, profitable business in a pleasant atmosphere where every day is different,” says Ella. “We go out to do fashion shows and theater work. If we are in the shop, something is always happening.”

“A woman called me at home the other night just to thank me,” adds Penny. “She said we had given her a new image of herself that had changed her whole life. That’s one of the intangible rewards. We feel we are contributing something.”

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Photo Caption: The Flossmoor train station, abandoned when the Illinois Central railroad became electrified, is now the site of several unusual shops including the robert-marc cosmetic salon which is holding an open house cocktail party from 4 until 6 p.m. Sunday. A 1931 Model-A Ford taking back to the station’s early years provides a touch of atmosphere as Mrs. Arnold Davis (left) of Olympia Fields and Mrs. Burton Stender of Homewoods, proprietors, deliver invitations in the form of potted tulips to Leonard Harris (second from left), Homewood village manager, and Bryce Boothby, Flossmoor. Theme of the party is “Tulips Are Growing in Flossmoor.” Several of the shops have been named in keeping with the railroad theme. All will be open Sunday at 1035 Sterling drive.

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Handwritten Notes:

$100,000 – potential

no failure people have gotten money back in six months.

Franchise:

1. location – something income
2. lease – help obtain
3. interior design – physical contract, complete turn key operation
4. certain amt & promotion
5. personal appearance + promotion to robert-marc
   • 2 TV shows on local county
   • 2 commercial
   • written news columns
6. do shows for groups – local women’s groups & get to send certain amt gmg back complete inventory bags, curtains tissue paper & need, usually build cabinets do all electrical
7. age? must be min. 25 yr & age?
8. may have male ownership but must have female employees

2 full time people & store – 2 or 3 pt time plus working owner usually. like employees to be under contract to company. because & training (3 worth)

1. must be min. 25 yr & age? may have male ownership but must have female employees

2 full time people & store – 2 or 3 pt time plus working owner usually. like employees to be under contract to company. because & training (3 worth)

1. attend
2. good skin must be friendly, warm look can relate
3. must be experienced in knowledge & cosmetics
4. deposit refundable – often 2 wks. – both have 2 wks to back out.
5. all in beauty shop 3 days – $/100 no way to handle reorders

quickly constructed store – quit beauty shop every business going down phone at station caution

corporation active part – bus. altern. acct.

$$$$ r.m. make – up.

personal touch R M is into all parts – wks etc.

dir mail – return 7-8 % in semester

after 1-3 % on most dir. mail.

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each pers. gets 10 page book personalized instructions in how to apply make-up keep record in store in each woman – any woman can walk in cust.

every store works same way

girls don’t say our store feel part & company

_____

appts. basis – free to stop in any time but appt. better.

_____

no prob so far some training takes a little longer

_____

no failure – because & pers. involvement – caution approach

_____

profit structure – incentive basis. restricted in pop. for franchise make-up not sold elsewhere.

not 9-5 job do shows, theater outside involvement day not stereotyped

must be open 5 days a wk & hrs a day

not seasonal business

make – up – cosmetic 3rd goods natl. product.

during depression – beauty industry made small drop – “when things bad – woman needs lift. not week end business

Ella Davis Penny Stendler – hrs. part. on building

Ella – modeling – yrs ago high school

2 children – 15½ – 6½ husband housewife.

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Penny – put sec. – David Hill Bank married 3 children – in school getting in business organization – youngest 6 – in school. with Stendler – did a lot & organization many jobs with did a lot & in elevator op. sell bldg. sales girl – if 13 yr as housewife

gave bus. training set up books. inventory, order,

no phone – come up stairs a mile – the apple. in month 2 maj. fashion shows. 1½ hr appt.

Ella (cont.)

worked for husband – clerical work.

anybody can do it – no make-up training – “thought I knew a lot – found it how little”

Did with too old/ill me you not say

chipped diff. franchise a thought & going on own.

partnership – $$$ $$$

next indiv.

long time friends – 10 yrs.

no uniform, smock girls remain individual

$$$$ “all women should have outlet didn’t want. after chl. but region. 1970 responsibility -“

$$$. $$$ – serve champagne $$$$ other at opening –

felt r.m really knew what he was doing – often was asiatic at but no business concept.

need willing husband.

Robert Marc . 5 yrs old – actor born in – Los Angeles – radio chicago domestic legend – Schildule summer stock – Hollywood Players prod 13 Bloomfield Hills motly & Ed. & Robins 39 – 39a

at 15 yrs old mr & Los Angeles – diff makeup trained too old for adult to ya for a child

became hairdresser for movies did cosmetic for studios almost 5 yrs. Westmore studied under

took trip to Chicago – stayed good around where he went back into hair no motly to makeup

5 yrs ago – retail market for cosmetic was excellent “wifey make-up in drawer

1. women try something before buying – give a hand 2. opportunity to have trained help wm charge.

Clear depression effects – Beauty avg. 1 Corp.

decline beauty shops affects: 1. Buy more & Corp.

1. The Right Track – quality – clothing & sportswear

2. Petticoat Junction – trunk lingerie intimate apparel.

3. Signature Galleries –

4. Needlepoint Shoppe –

5. ~~Coffee~~ Station Break (coffee shop)

6. ? M Daniel Benzaquen & develop + Stendler station