I just did some internet surfing to see what kind of businesses are ‘recession-proof.’ Here is some anecdotal info I’ve gathered from online research and personal experience:

Personal care practitioners: By this I mean massage therapists, estheticians and hair dressers.  I can back this up with personal experience. My hair dresser and massage therapist’s appointment books are totally full.  I think people want to feel good no matter what and this kind of luxury expense is one they are not prepared to give up. It’s also a kind of pampering that is still cheaper than a shopping spree or big night out on the town.

Car repair shops: This is a gimme. No one wants to buy a new car, so they make sure the one they have is running at tip-top shape.

Second hand stores: I heard that the Goodwill and Salvation Army stores need to stock more often now. Consignment shops are also thriving.

Music teachers: I know a guitar teacher whose business always grows during a recession. He says it’s part of the nesting instinct and that people intuitively understand that playing music is a stress-buster.

Surprisingly the porn and gambling industries are NOT doing well. These businesses used to be considered ‘recession-proof.’

This entry was posted on Friday, December 26th, 2008 at 2:40 pm and is filed under Living in San Francisco, Miscellaneous. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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