Tracey Herft and Kylie Bright had chalked up 28 years between them working together at a hair care salon and retailer so when the owner decided to retire and shut-up shop, they realised there was only one thing to do – buy the business themselves.
Across Australia, retail associations are still counting the pandemic’s impact on bricks and mortar, and while it did delay the opening of the new Bateau Bay Price Attack salon, next month the duo will celebrate six months in business, and they want to thank locals for their support.
They have been “blown away” by the customer loyalty from the previous store and the rush of support from not only Bateau Bay locals but also from neighbouring suburbs.
The new business in Bateau Bay Square also brings job opportunities to the area: the Herft and Bright team looking to employ both hairdressers and retail staff, offering flexible working hours, to meet the employment market.
“We received so much encouragement from everyone from the company support team to our former customers – so it was a real no brainer to take the plunge,” Herft said.
“It’s something we absolutely love, and we work so well together bringing different skill sets to the business.”
The duo was not fazed, when NSW went into lockdown, as they were looking to open a new store in a new location in August, but the craziness of the pandemic meant the reality of that opening date moved further and further away.
“We never lost sight of the final goal,” Herft said.
“Bricks and mortar retail suffered from the pandemic because a lot of people have learned to shop online who probably had not prior to the pandemic. But one of the big things that came out of lockdown was our need for interacting with people.
“Price Attack salons are about making a difference in someone’s life through a cut, colour and style cut: all wrapped up with a warm greeting, a cup of coffee and a chance to have some much needed “me” time.
“You can’t buy a haircut on the internet.”
Source:
Media release, May 12
Bateau Bay Price Attack