Crave Beauty Academy to relocate St. Louis branch; Wichita main campus could be next

Crave Beauty Academy co-owner Kim McIntosh says moving a business “is quite a big undertaking.”

“It’s kind of like moving your house times 20.”

She and her husband, Stan, are not only moving their business once this year, but possibly twice.

First, they’re relocating their branch campus in St. Louis to 14858 Manchester Road in Olde Towne Plaza.

Kim McIntosh says it’s a busier area and a “beautiful building” that’s a much more sensible 10,000 square feet, which compares to the almost 20,000 square feet the school has now.

“It’s too huge. It’s just crazy.”

The space used to have a salon. Now, McIntosh says, “We’re rightsizing.”

She plans to open in the new space on Feb. 5 and have a grand opening event Feb. 26.

Then, McIntosh says, “We’re going to start really diving into Wichita.”

The school’s main campus lease at 3804 W. Douglas, which is just south of Central and West Street, is up this year. The McIntoshes are considering buying the building but also is open to moving.

InSite Real Estate Group broker Matt Hiatt, who handled the St. Louis deal for Crave, is helping look for possible new Wichita space, too.

They’re looking for an approximately 10,000-square-foot building.

“We have to get super serious here in the next couple of months,” Kim McIntosh says.

“I like to invest back into the schools. We genuinely care about our students’ success.”