CLAIRE Lawrence and Nichola Donnelly, two former area managers with pub chain JD Wetherspoon, have revealed plans to pluck, preen and sell their way to a multi-million-pound 50-store men's grooming empire over the next few years.

Less than three weeks ago, the pair opened the first Men's Store on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, in the former Halifax building, and have plans to roll out another two stores before Easter next year.

The women, who have raised a (pounds) 500,000 package for what they claim is Scotland's - possibly the UK's - first all-

inclusive shop dedicated entirely to men's grooming needs, also have a further (pounds) 2m in expansion finance in place through a mixture of personal investment, business bank loans and venture capital funding.

The enterprise, located between sexy lingerie shop Ann Summers and Dino's pizza eatery, is notable because in a high street world increasingly dominated by high-powered chain stores and the outlets of multinational conglomerates, here is a first-time independent retailer smack in the middle of one of Scotland's busiest streets.

They also have plans to

open a cluster of core stores in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Man-chester, Brighton, Birming-ham, Newcastle and Leeds over the next five years - and then branch out from there into the mass franchise mar-

ket.

The rationale behind this one-stop men's beauty shop - which sells everything from haircuts, wet shaves and full-body wax treatments to face scrubs, razor blades, shower gels, aftershaves, condoms and even pregnancy test kits - is that the men's grooming market is currently worth (pounds) 655m in the UK and is expected to rise to (pounds) 850m by the end of 2005.

''I can tell you we've already sold a fair number of eye creams,'' said Lawrence, who is originally from Wales, but has moved to Glasgow from Edinburgh to be near the business.

''This is a huge and growing market, which has come on the back of the increased focus on well-being and health. Men are very rapidly catching up with women in this area.

''A lot of men want to be just as groomed as their wives or partners, and many women also want their men to be just as groomed as they are.

''But generally, men are more image-conscious than ever before.''

All of which begs the question - why Glasgow? Are Glasgow men more vain than their counterparts in other UK cities?

Donnelly, who hails from Northern Ireland, said: ''I wouldn't say more vain, but perhaps more image-conscious than, say, men in Edinburgh.

''Glasgow is the UK's major retail centre outside of London, and Glasgow guys are definitely the most fashionable and image-conscious in Scotland. We're offering them an easy- going environment where they can shop at their own pace without feeling intimidated about going into traditional female-orientated shops. This is about blush-free shopping.''

All the same, with their rent and rates on Sauchiehall Street in excess of (pounds) 200,000 a year and a staff of 15 to pay, the pressure is on.

Donnelly added: ''Our location, I think, more than justifies the rent and rates. More than 100,000 shoppers a week pass this spot. If 2% of them come and spend an average of (pounds) 19, we'll be well in profit.''