Moving to bigger premesis- Advice needed

[laurenbeautyroo]

Hi everyone,
I have a small beauty salon in a small town. I have been open four years this month and would like to move to bigger premesis.
My current shop has only two very small rooms. One used as treatment room and one as reception nail area.
I am not on the main road in town I am off the main part and so get very little to no passing trade or walk ins. Infact I still get new clients now who say "oh have you just opened I have never noticed you before!!"

Anyway I have been looking to move to something bigger on the main road which will increase visibility etc. However in doing this I will be tripling my rent and rates.

So, I have seen some premesis now which are on the main road (yay) twice the size of my current place and better laid out, only double the rent BUT it is on the first floor. Its above an opticians in a lovely building with seperate side entrance or you can come in through opticians.

As I have a ground floor retail shop at the mo it's making me nervous to lose a shop front.

Can anyone give me any advice or have experienced something similar?

Thanks
Lauren

 

[nixnewcastle]

I think you will have the same problem with passing trade as you do where you are. I am upstairs and in a very good and busy location but i dont get much passing trade at all and when clients find out where i am they always say wow i had no idea you were here. If you'd have said downstairs i'd have said go for it