Reincarnation

Practice may not make you perfect – who is ever perfect? – but it sure helps when it comes to setting up a salon. Having been privy to the development of his latest venture, Ellie van Baaren talks to Gene Cooksley about doing it third time around.

As he found himself standing in an empty salon, roller in hand and darkness falling outside, Gene Cooksley could be forgiven for experiencing a certain sense of déjà vu. Here he was again, for literally the 10th time, pulling late nights to get his salon up and running.

Oscar & Co. on Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, opened in early December, just nine days after he was handed the keys. It was one of many calculated decisions based on 20-odd years of experience with opening salons. From opening Real in Takapuna at age 22, to Jarvis in Ponsonby 11 years later, Jarvis Takapuna and now Oscar & Co., Cooksley has created a name, brand and salon fitout that suited the trends and his sensibilities at the time.

“When I opened Real time salons were getting really indulgent with their fitouts,” he explains. “It was getting too ornate, so Real was a conscious effort to go against that flow. That’s also where the name originated. With Jarvis I fell into the trap of building a beautiful salon and it cost a fortune. It snuck up on me, the budget went over and I had to live hand to mouth to make it up.”

For this salon, he’s taken inspiration from fast fashion. “I’m passionate about having a décor that is going to need replacing. Big shops spend so much on their fitouts, and they’re beautiful spaces, but to change it is a helluvan expense.”

Which is one of the reasons why he ended up in the space that he did. “In general, you’re always looking for the best deal when you look for spaces, which means you end up upstairs or at the back of the main shops. This time, rather than being a destination business and having to draw in customers, I’ve put myself right in the middle of high density foot traffic.”

He points out, however, that the rent reflects that position, which affected how much he could spend on getting the salon ready to open its doors. Cooksley’s previous experiences gave him an edge when it came to creating his budget – he already had a reasonable handle on what expenses he’d need to cover and how much he would need to spend to get the look he wanted. The final figure was between $25,000 and $35,000 and the finished job came in right on budget; The fitout itself came in at $25,000, and once initial orders and miscellaneous expenses were added into the mix, it came out at $35,000.

“Because we’d taken over a lease [it was already trading as a salon] we already had lights, plumbing and air conditioning. We were one step ahead but still had to hit the ground running to pay for the rent.”

While he did a lot of it himself, Cooksley was committed to passing certain tasks to those who knew how to do them best. “It’s the same with people coming into your salon. While you know they want to be brown or black, you hand them over to your specialist who actually knows how to do it. For you to get that result yourself would have taken too long. We simply would not have been open on time if I hadn’t trusted the experts. Which is why I like to use local suppliers as well. At least you’re dealing with local people who can make decisions on the spot.”

Cooksley points out that it’s for these reasons he went with Goldwell and Kitomba. “I can ring Jane [Hassall, General Manager NZ] and say ‘I’m thinking of doing this…’ and with Kitomba, it’s all done online so I don’t have to wait for some sweaty boffin to be at their desk to get something fixed.”

When it came to giving his new salon a name, calling it after himself never came into the equation. “I’ve never named a salon after myself because if the business dies you don’t want it to take your name down with it. I’m also really conscious about a business being built around one person because there’s always a glass ceiling for your staff. They’re always working for someone and building someone else’s name rather than their own.”

Cooksley explains he always looks for short names – about four or five letters – and words that are easy for people to pronounce and read so they can find it in directories. For this one, he wanted to create a strong and easily identifiable brand. “This is the first time I haven’t had any influence on the branding. When they sent it through I wasn’t sure about it, but then I really looked at it and knew it was right.”

The clean and simple branding leaves his front window open to be used effectively, something he says many salons don’t do enough, especially when they’re on the main street. The innovative products and tools he’s using in the salon are all on display, almost like a retailer showcasing its wares.

Oscar & Co. is also open six days a week, rather than the traditional Tuesday to Saturday. “Monday is one of our busiest days; people want to book on Mondays but salons are often closed. People expect it now and the late night seems to have no strength. The industry needs to move and change a little bit.”

When it comes to advising anyone looking to open their own salon he points to Hamilton Brooks (featured in TRADE Summer 2010). “Hamilton had waited and planned for 12 to 18 months and I really admire that. I’ve always been an ‘I’ve got an idea and I think it could work’ kind of person.

“You need to know your prices. Talk to the product companies. Even if you’re working for someone else, keep looking at leases and putting together a book so you know the average and what’s good and bad. If you can find an existing salon you’ll be saving yourself so much time and energy and I don’t believe the world needs any more salons. Refit something and keep it moving.”

www.oscarandco.co.nz