Clockwork doesn’t do a full manicure, but it offers color changes in 10 minutes for $10.
Clockwork founder and CEO Renuka Apte says the concept works for people like her who want to look a certain way and feel confident in doing so, “but can’t prioritize beauty time.”
Apte says she won’t switch to specialized grooming services for those who have the time and money for a manicure.”One by one we cater to women and they tell us it shouldn’t be a commitment.”
There is a gap between multi-step nail treatments and DIY at home, she said.”There was no quick service. I had wished I could put my hands on something and they were done.”
Target is testing clockwork robotic manicurists in six U.S. stores for $8 on sale.Online appointments can be made using robots installed locally at the Medallion Center Target on the East-North Highway in Dallas, and two others at 5700 Overton Ridge Blvd in Fort Worth.and 301 Carroll Street.
It will not cut or shape nails, but nail files and nail polish removers can be used.Clockwork is shaped like a box, but it is a robot in a mechanical sense.
Nail art is a labor-intensive procedure that most people believe is safe against competition from automation.However, Clockwork’s artificial intelligence and 3D technology can quickly calculate the size of each nail and the right amount of polish to use.Advances in camera technology have enabled robots to see more clearly, making Clockwork possible, Apte said.
Slide your fingers into one binding point, one at a time for painting.Nail polish is applied to the outside edge of the nail and follows the shape until the nail is filled, just as one might color in a circle.
Safety is the number one priority for developing machines, Apte said.The surgical robot is used by doctors with extensive training, “but it has to be safe enough that you can walk in and use it on the street.”
The robots are built so people can see their nails being painted, adding a layer of confidence.The tip of the polishing box is a soft tip, and the robot itself is deliberately “weak and unable to cause damage,” Apte said.
Clockwork has been on the market with pop-up stores and offices since last summer, but Target’s partnership is the first with a major retailer.The robots are assembled in the United States at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan and a corporate amenity provided by real estate firm Tishman Speyer.
After more than 10 years at Dropbox, WibiData, Citrix Systems and Nvidia, Apte started the company in San Francisco about four years ago.She is a computer science engineer with a master’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, specializing in distributed systems and machine learning.
Her co-founder, Aaron Feldstein, is a longtime colleague from a previous job.The company has raised $8.5 million in funding from Initialized Capital and has several angel investors, including former Stitch Fix and Sephora executive Julie Bornstein and Instacart co-founder Max Mullen.
After learning from the current seven robots, Clockwork plans to expand in 2023, Apte said.So far the customer is supportive.
At Target, Clockwork is located in the makeup department and is open daily from 11am to 7pm, except on Tuesdays when machines are recalibrated.Waiters are always on duty.
Nevaeh Aguirre, a 19-year-old from Dallas, said Wednesday she has had a full book of appointments since Clockwork opened at Medallion Target a month ago.”I already have regular customers,” she said, adding that customers are booked every 20 minutes.
Clockwork doesn’t accept children under the age of 13, partly because customers have to sit still, but mostly because of privacy laws.The robot’s camera takes pictures of the hand that are stored anonymously in artificial intelligence software.Aguirre has a folding kid’s chair that can be used the old-fashioned way to oil a child waiting for the clockwork to finish mom.
“I love how quick and easy it is,” says Dallas’ Sara Carruth, as she prepares to leave with honey-colored nails after her second visit to Clockwork.”I don’t have time to go to the salon and it’s a good option.”
Cassandra Martinez, 28, from Dallas, said she didn’t have an appointment but would be back.”I’m doing my nails at home now because I don’t have the time and I don’t want to pay $50, but I’m willing to pay $10 for it.”
Dallas native Arundel Hunter, 43, was able to meet the deadline.She said she bought a three-pack the first time and came back for a second manicure.”I’m a mom and I have to be able to pick up my kids at 3pm”
Target wants to be the destination for beauty shoppers.The retailer opened about 100 Ulta Beauty stores last year and said in February that it planned to open 250 more in 2022, with a goal of reaching 800 within a few years.
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Maria Halkias, Staff Writer.Maria Halkias has been covering the retail scene for the Dallas Morning News since 1993.She has documented notable changes in grocery stores, malls, e-commerce, major bankruptcies, and local retail entrepreneurs.
Post time: Jul-01-2022