'Manscaping' Made Easy with New Ravenswood Business

Craft beer, eclectic cultures and now… male waxing? 

Ravenswood is known for many things, and one new business owner is adding to that list. 

Julio Mendez was Chicago's first male esthetician and chose the neighborhood to start his own salon.

Waxman Spa, at 1744 W. Lawrence Ave. offers hair removal, full body massages, hair cuts and skin care.

The Chicago native saw a niche in the area for all men to come in—no matter their (hair) type. 

Mendez estimates 80 percent of his clients are straight men, with his most popular services including Brazilian and back waxing.

"I wanted to have a feeling where guys can come to a setting where they don't have to feel embarrassed, they don't have to get their eyebrows done in front of a lot of girls at a salon," he told GoPride.com. "They don't have walk out from their waxing service and there are eight gay men doing hair who turn around and stare at them at the same time—I just wanted to have a relaxing environment."

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Mendez has nearly 15 years of experience in the beauty industry. 

After graduating from Pivot Point International Academy's esthetician program as a teenager, Mendez began working at the most high-end salons in the city. 

There, he started learning about the make-up industry, painting the faces of celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Cirque du Solei performers. 

Make-up led to hair and his graduation from the Steven Papageorge Hair Academy in 2008, GoPride reports. While learning to trim ends, Mendez didn't forget about his waxing roots. 

He held esthetician positions at Boystown's Chicago Male Salon and most recently, Sir Spa in Andersonville. 

Mendez took those experience and finally decided to run his own salon. Two years of planning and preparations have culminated in the Ravenswood storefront. 

"I think Ravenswood is one of the last neighborhoods in the North Side that's actually—as far as shopping and stores and all that stuff goes—is underdeveloped," he told GoPride.com, going on to predict that Andersonville and Lincoln Square will soon be connected by Lawrence Ave, creating a larger North Side community. "You have these great neighborhoods in here with these big Victorian houses...mixed with apartment buildings and it's very eclectic. You have gay, you have straight and families and young couples and it's just very diverse."