I don't know where to start........
You may have read from a previous post that I have found a shop, it's in a busy town where everyone can see, parking available and on many bus routes.

It is currently a home improvment centre (a friend of my partner) and he basically uses it to promote his business and basically show people types of windows they can have and paving etc and its all in the shop inside.

So anyways I dont have any photos but will describe best I can...

The shop has two large windows with the door way in between and right to the back of the shop is the toilet/kitchen

the idea was he and my partner were going to put a corridor straight down the middle from the door way to seperate it in half. We would both have a window each so the customers could see us. He already has his sign above the whole of the shop but there was space verticaly down the side for me to advertise as well as the window.

So when I went the other day he has changed his mind and wants to seperate the shop -him having all the front window etc me having the back of the shop. I agreed with him but know I've thought about it i dont think its a good idea at all.

1) he/my partner and god only knows who else will be traping through my salon to use the toilet/make coffee, dirty builders not very clean or relaxing.

2)Now i have no shop window just the door to advertise myself so from the outside you wouldn't know i was there as his signs above the shop and his things in the window. And if someone did notice my sign i'm sure they would be confused where i was

3) now saying a client did realise i was there at the back, they would now have to walk through his shop (bearing in mind dirty builders, hope my partner doesn't see this lol) I personally would feel very intimidated.

Please give your honest opinions on whether I should just look for somewhere else or not, as part of me thinks this could be a huge mistake.

sorry for rambling hope you can make sense of the dividing the shop bit

The original idea was a good one the new idea to put it in bloke terms, Sucks
you need to explain to him to him that you need to be seen from the street, that passing trade is how you grow our type of business and that ladies don't want guys intruding when they are having there pamper time so if he's willing to go back to the original idea then you have a deal, otherwise, you'll have to pass on this one.
Good luck hun, just stick to your guns. They don't understand our business, if they did all men would own 100+pair of shoes

hmmm i share your concerns.
much better to divide down the centre and have one window each.

Oh, I can just imagine it, big buildery blokes tramping through with big boots on, going "Oh sorry for interrupting. Don't mind me, love. Just going for a 'you know what'. Got any magazines I can take in with me?"

No, I don't think it sounds a good idea as a customer. I'd be thinking something was "off" having to go through the front shop to get to you.

Carla go with your gut instict and you wont go far wrong!

You must be really disheartened about this. Its best tho that you have found out about this now rather than a bit further down the line.

Its not too late to change your mind hun. I dont think this was meant to be, so I would be inclined to tell him where to shove his back rooms.

There will always be something else out there for you. You wouldn't be happy shoved in the back.

Stick to your guns.

Good luck

Elaine xxxxxxxxx

No, it doesn't sound good to me at all. How intimidating would that be for your clients, to walk through a bunch of men to have a beauty treatment. I personally would not be happy to do that (speaking as a client). I think you already know the answer to your question.

I only read as far as he'd changed his mind, and that says it all for me. I wouldn't go in with it unless you have your own front window. Also, can you trust him in the future? xxx

Hi Hun

I had a salon that I hated and made me feel really down in the end. I didnt want to go to work some times. and all I did was spend my money reparing it.

I had so many problems with the shop regarding repairs, leaks. That I truly wished I would of waited for a more suited shop.

But no, I wanted that shop and that was that, so like an idiot I took it only in the end to loose it and lots of money too.

I would never do that again, you know in your heart that it's probably not right for you and if I was you I would wait hun

Angela

Thank you all,

i spoke to him and he said he would put a corridor from the front door to the back where i am so clients wont have to walk through his shop directly.

he said he hardly uses the loo or makes coffee and he is not prepared to let me have a window as thats how he promotes his business

so I'm quite upset I have been preparing this for quite a while, waiting for premises. Looks like a need to get back looking.

I can see his point, as that will attract business for him, but that was how you were going to do it too! He shouldn't have offered if he was going to change his mind. xxx

I agree with the others, in that without window space or an actual space that is just yours, it won't work.

I once visited a salon where there was a clothes shop in the basement, so people would walk off the street right through the salon and back up again when they were done. Really not the kind of thing to make a client feel comfortable.

It sounds a little like he was thinking of you not so much as a possible semi-tenant, but more like he was just doing you a favour by letting you use his space.

I would talk to him and see whether something can be worked out. If it can't or he won't budge, i'd seriously consider waiting further for premises, as location can be half the battle and if you don't think this will work, it probably won't.

My waxing room is upstairs and through a kitchen that's in much need of decoration. There is nothing outside to say that I'm there but that suits me as all of my clients come from miles away. However, if I was relying on local trade, it'd be a watse of time.

Sorry to go on but if he's gone back on his original word, then I would find somewhere else. Maybe it's fate and you're meant to find a better place. Good luck. xxx

Yes, as previously said, go with your gut - you know what to do.
If you don't feel right about it, do not allow yourself to go through with it. Something always comes up in the end as long as you are prepared to wait for it.
All the best,
claire x

NOOOO.. such a bad idea, your shop window is free advertising space... the only time i would settle for no window, would be if i rented a room in say a hairdressers or somewhere else that has loads of women coming in and out.
it sounds like you would be renting a room in a window shop, how many people visit a window shop and decide to stay for there nails... i doubt many. could you not have one window and half the signage, and maybe have a little sign saying window supplied by..... whoever! so he still gets some advertising, after all it could be you supplying him with clients with the amount of people coming in and out of your salon. just a thought...
or hold fire, the right shop could be just round the corner. good luck with whatever you decide hun... x

Hi , he is certainly looking after himself in this business venture,
as he is ticking all his own boxes for his business needs to prosper

What about ticking your own business boxes ?
and what about your business needs ?

If he can do a U turn ,
you can certainly change your mind,
don't get drawn into an argument about it ,
but discuss your business needs too .

This is business not a game ,
so stand your ground nicely but firmly hun and don't play second fiddle ,

If he wont go back to the original plan ,
you may be better to seek out somewhere else x good luck, minky x

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