Salon Studios Launch Set to Revolutionise the Beauty Industry

A new concept in hair and beauty salon ownership launches in Edinburgh this summer when Salon Studios opens in Corstorphine on Monday 1 July. With six salons under one roof, the shopping mall-style concept is set to revolutionise the way independent hair and beauty professionals operate.

Founder Roz Colthart spotted a gap in the UK market to cater for people looking to become independent salon owners but put off by high upfront and ongoing costs including legal fees, business rates, furniture and equipment, waste collection and utilities.

The Edinburgh-born entrepreneur has created a way for career-focused and ambitious hair, beauty and wellness professionals to start their own businesses at the same cost as renting a chair or a space at someone else’s salon. The flat fee payment structure enables new owners to budget knowing there are no hidden extras, giving them complete peace of mind.

Each Salon Studio is walk-in ready and features everything a salon owner needs to launch their business quickly and efficiently.

Salon Studios owners are invited to join a community that encourages a positive working environment and will include training and social events whilst being able to offer a personalised and private service to their clients.

With 24-hour access, each salon owner can choose the hours they want to work with all bookings being made directly with the salon owner, eliminating the need for a receptionist. Salon owners will also have the freedom to choose the products they want to work with, keeping all profits from sales increasing their earning potential.

Roz spent two years researching the concept in the US, bringing the best elements to Salon Studios’ first location at St Johns Road, Corstorphine.

Roz said: “I’ve been in the chair many times, but I really wanted to go behind the chair to understand what makes these businesses so successful in the States and how this would translate to a British version. What I saw in the American version were happy salon owners able to focus on what they loved without getting caught up in day-to-day management issues like managing staff, paying bills or worrying about cash flow.

Those who had initially had reservations about missing out on the social side of working in a salon discovered they built stronger connections with other salon owners through sharing stories and offering support.

This model works well for so many people. I met experienced and successful salon owners who wanted to retire but didn’t want to give up their loyal client base and just needed a smaller space. I also met people who wanted to start the next Toni & Guy but were just dipping their toe in the water and building confidence. And then there were people who were happy to have one salon and stick with it”.

Roz continued her research in the UK and discovered that an increasing number of salons are moving away from the standard employment model, replacing it with a chair rental system. The hair, beauty and wellness professionals she spoke to who used this method expressed a frustration at the barriers they would face setting up on their own. The Salon Studios structure offers a solution to this problem.

With ambitious plans for growth, Roz is currently looking for more locations in Edinburgh and across the UK.