Salon Dilemma

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joe90

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Oct 12, 2005
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I am currently renting a small room above a hairdressers paying very little rent but I am upstairs and not visible to any passing trade). However, have recently seen a shop that I think could be a real goer. It is on a main road, on a busy parad of shops, two hairdressers on the parade but no beauty people in there. Pub at the end of the block and train station also at the end of the block. Road is always busy with a queue of traffic and when you are sat at the traffic lights you can't help but look over at the shops and the one I went to see today is the first one you look at.

Shop doesn't need much doing to it - it is double fronted - two large windows at the front, has wooden floors, recessed lighting, cream walls. Basement is just that, nothing fancy, first floor is very much the same as ground floor but with addition of a loo (this would need partitioning off). There is no kitchen though. Rent is very reasonable for the size of shop 8.5k plus rates etc.

Now my dilemma is that my BF doesn't think that at the moment I have enough clients to cover the rent, rates, water, electric etc. Whilst I can see where he is coming from I feel as though he is trying to p**s on my parade. I thought maybe of getting a couple of nails techs in and a holistic therapist who would pay a rent which would cover some of the rent.

Also a friend of mine runs a wedding planning service which is doing well and she said that she might be willing to come in with me but and there is always a but, I think we might end up fighting for the same spaces as we would both want space on the ground floor so we are visible, I think my friend would want the basement for storage.

God, I am so confused right now, stay where I am and advertise more or go for this shop and take a big risk?

What you think? Honest opinions please
 
It sounds really good but i think you should do a business plan & work out your finances before you make any firm decisions. I have to agree with your boyfriend at the moment.

I would concentrate on your current business then when you are fully booked look at moving into bigger premises.

If you need any help with a business plan let me know, would be happy to help :D
 
Hi

I would go for it. I first started out in a shop on a side street didnt do mega well, after i had been trading nearly 2 years i managed to persuade the bank manager to give me a mortgage i bought a shop on a main road and i havnt looked back since.

IMO location is everything. I would love a double fronted salon i do some fab window displays and would love the have two windows. You could have a brilliant retail area and reception, private treatment rooms etc. It wouldnt cost much to pop a kitchen in either you can pick them up really cheaply.

Really hope it works out for you

take care x
 
It sounds really good but i think you should do a business plan & work out your finances before you make any firm decisions. I have to agree with your boyfriend at the moment.

I would concentrate on your current business then when you are fully booked look at moving into bigger premises.

If you need any help with a business plan let me know, would be happy to help :D
Took the words right out of my mouth about doing a business plan.
You really need to work out if your new idea is viable at the moment. But what ever you do don't lose heart with it. Build on what you got at the moment and when you feel you are begining to out grow it take a plunge.

Good Luck with what ever you decide.:wink2:
 
It sounds really good but i think you should do a business plan & work out your finances before you make any firm decisions. I have to agree with your boyfriend at the moment.

I would concentrate on your current business then when you are fully booked look at moving into bigger premises.

If you need any help with a business plan let me know, would be happy to help :D

i agree, i think you need to sort out business plan etc. first.
i would if i knew how to.
i'm in a similar set up as you, i'm in a room at the back of salon, not many people know i'm there at the minute so i would love the opportunity to get my own salon but i think i need a lot more clients to cover costs etc.
 
thanks for your thoughts guys, they are all REALLY appreciated.

I am just waiting to get some papers for doing a business plan (from a fellow geek - thanks again Y).
 
If it is at all possible I would go for it - chances like this do not come along every day.
 
I think go for it!

Location definitely is everything and even though you might not have enough clients just yet, with a double fronted shop in a busy busy area you will get so many more customers.

Obviously do your homework with regards to finances etc but look at renting out some other tables/space.

If you don't do it now, will you ever do it? Will you always be thinking what if? Also imagine another nail tech opening that very same shop and you go past every day seeing it really busy, could you never have regrets about not going for it? A position like this doesn't crop up very often.

xx
 
Well like said do your homework but my gut feeling is go for it! If you think you can make it work and that is your mindset then with hard work and determination it most likely will!! Good luck it sounds like you are going to be busy! xx
 
I would probably say go for it, if finances permit.
I would love the change for a proper shop... not wanting to sound big headed but my home salon looks fab, I'm good at merchandising and displays and have big and original ideas for treatments, decor etc. It grates for me no end that there are two salons in my local town that are ugly, uninspired, cheap-looking and poor quality, and yet due to their location and prominence in the area, everyone just walks in straight off the street whereas I have to advertise my butt off just for people to know I'm here. Likewise when I worked in a salon I had so many ideas that would have made it better, but I had no say just cos I was only an employed tech...
If you can go for it, do it. As for your friend... I appreciate she would want good space, but I imagine that a wedding planner relies a bit more on advertising, word of mouth and her own portfolio that on in-your-face displays. Maybe she could have one window as a display (you could even do a wedding-themed beauty display with a window-cling about her business and kill two birds with one stone) but work from elsewhere in the building as presumably a lot of wedding planning is done from an office and then site visits and doesn't need a huge amount of floor space?
Good luck with whatever you decide!
 

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