Hi everyone,
I have reading the threads a while but have a few things to ask.
I have been a mobile therapist for years now and its been going well.
Back in March i was looking at salons and one popped up for a reasonable price- however its not a beauty salon its currently a hair dressers.
My mother unfortunately got diagnosed with a terminal illness back at xmas and took a turn for the worse in March so I had to pull out of work and pull out of the salon to look after her-
She passed away in July and I must get back in to work as I have been techincally off work since Dec last year.
The salon I looked at in March is back on the market and the current owner would still like to sell it to me. He took it off the market as he was after a quick sale before he went away. It didn't turn out like that for him so its back on now.
To give a bit of back ground-
Town centre location, good location, good footfall, a fair bit of competition but not completely flooded and have room to be a bit competitive with pricing to start.
The current owner has no hair or beauty experience. It isn't in debt, it has a decent reputation and makes a bit of money.
I have no experience in hair but I could add hair extensions to the business. I would keep the manager as manager.
The salon has 5 chairs, 2 wash basins and 3 stylists that work on a commission basis, one lady who has more commission as she is apparently manager.
The salon has 3 parts-
The main salon area which is large- which is used as the hair dressers
Then the back bit which has double doors cutting it off, this has a large kitchen but the units are all on the back wall so my idea to put a partition covering the entire kitchen unit, as the rest is an empty space.
I would ideally put a pedicure chair and 2 nail stations out the back---
I would also partition off another bit for a spray tan unit.
However,
I have a few nagging thoughts,
I would like to put a nail station and a pedicure chair in the main salon by the window really, simply so people can see it as they are walking past, concerned about it possibly being to noisy from the hair drier etc? Thinking it better to offer a standard pedi out the front and the luxury pedicure chair out the back? Or everything out the back? Not sure how many salons mix services.
The hair dressing salon is unisex so can imagine ladies having issues getting a luxury pedi along side men?
I would also like the eyebrows and lashes to stay in the main salon, due to their being 5 hair chairs and only 3 hair dressers. Assuming I get a multi use chair that can tip back as well, this would be ok?
I only want to work a couple of days a week
and would like to employ a beauty therapist one full time to start with, and potentially a part time therapist later on once word gets around.Wondering if most are self employed or employed and what tends to be the appropriate wage to pay for someone experienced?
My other thought is to just get an empty place and just offer beauty- taking over this business will set me back 30k (with the partition, decor etc)
and an empty shop would cost around £1200-£1400 for a reasonable sized unit. They tend to ask 6 months upfront so a large layout also. My partner has said he will help me out if and when necessary.
I don't want to piss my money away, and advise will be greatly appreciated before i put myself in the deep end.
I have reading the threads a while but have a few things to ask.
I have been a mobile therapist for years now and its been going well.
Back in March i was looking at salons and one popped up for a reasonable price- however its not a beauty salon its currently a hair dressers.
My mother unfortunately got diagnosed with a terminal illness back at xmas and took a turn for the worse in March so I had to pull out of work and pull out of the salon to look after her-
She passed away in July and I must get back in to work as I have been techincally off work since Dec last year.
The salon I looked at in March is back on the market and the current owner would still like to sell it to me. He took it off the market as he was after a quick sale before he went away. It didn't turn out like that for him so its back on now.
To give a bit of back ground-
Town centre location, good location, good footfall, a fair bit of competition but not completely flooded and have room to be a bit competitive with pricing to start.
The current owner has no hair or beauty experience. It isn't in debt, it has a decent reputation and makes a bit of money.
I have no experience in hair but I could add hair extensions to the business. I would keep the manager as manager.
The salon has 5 chairs, 2 wash basins and 3 stylists that work on a commission basis, one lady who has more commission as she is apparently manager.
The salon has 3 parts-
The main salon area which is large- which is used as the hair dressers
Then the back bit which has double doors cutting it off, this has a large kitchen but the units are all on the back wall so my idea to put a partition covering the entire kitchen unit, as the rest is an empty space.
I would ideally put a pedicure chair and 2 nail stations out the back---
I would also partition off another bit for a spray tan unit.
However,
I have a few nagging thoughts,
I would like to put a nail station and a pedicure chair in the main salon by the window really, simply so people can see it as they are walking past, concerned about it possibly being to noisy from the hair drier etc? Thinking it better to offer a standard pedi out the front and the luxury pedicure chair out the back? Or everything out the back? Not sure how many salons mix services.
The hair dressing salon is unisex so can imagine ladies having issues getting a luxury pedi along side men?
I would also like the eyebrows and lashes to stay in the main salon, due to their being 5 hair chairs and only 3 hair dressers. Assuming I get a multi use chair that can tip back as well, this would be ok?
I only want to work a couple of days a week
and would like to employ a beauty therapist one full time to start with, and potentially a part time therapist later on once word gets around.Wondering if most are self employed or employed and what tends to be the appropriate wage to pay for someone experienced?
My other thought is to just get an empty place and just offer beauty- taking over this business will set me back 30k (with the partition, decor etc)
and an empty shop would cost around £1200-£1400 for a reasonable sized unit. They tend to ask 6 months upfront so a large layout also. My partner has said he will help me out if and when necessary.
I don't want to piss my money away, and advise will be greatly appreciated before i put myself in the deep end.
