Viva Salon learns the location lesson

You've heard the old adage, location location location - it's key in real estate, and key in business.

Andrew Berry opened Viva Salon in Potts Point after relocating from London to Sydney. Source: Supplied

When hair stylist Andrew Berry left London for the sunny shores of Sydney, he knew his rock and roll past was no guarantee for success down under.

Originally from Manchester, he spent the 80's doing hair for the English band, The Smiths - having crafted lead singer Morrissey’s iconic hairstyle. More recently, he'd been running his own salon in London’s Soho neighbourhood, before moving to Australia to launch another salon.

The Smiths outside Salford Lads Club, Queen Is Dead sessions (Photo by Stephen Wright/Redferns - Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

But when he opened up in Sydney, he soon found The Smiths connection was lost on Aussie clients. 

 "Initially I put a picture of Morrissey in the window and someone said 'oh is that so and so from Geordie Shore?'...I said no it's not, I was like it's Morrissey!" he laughs. "People didn't really get it."

 It didn't help that the location Andrew first opened in also turned out to be much quieter than expected. Looking to find a space in fashionable Potts Point, but within a reasonable budget, he opted for a shopfront just off the main MacLeay Street. 

It was only after moving in that he realised his road was in fact a dead end. And with his only neighbours being a restaurant that kept evening hours, and a real estate agent, any hopes of picking up passing trade from foot traffic were soon dashed.

 "Very early days there was one particular month when we literally didn't have enough money for the rent and I had some of the original Hacienda posters from 1982 in Manchester, [where The Smiths, New Order and other major bands used to perform]. And I was like, I have to sell them. It's like selling the family jewels [but] I was like I don’t care, I have to keep business going, it's more important."

Andrew Berry nearly sold some of his music memorabilia to keep the business afloat in its early days. Source: Supplied

Andrew put them on eBay and began drumming up interest from prospective buyers in the US. But an unexpected upswing in business pulled him through, saving his prized posters from being auctioned off. 

Eventually, after three years of steadily growing his client base, Andrew was ready to move to a new space - and ideally, one with an onsite bathroom. His first location had no toilet on the premises, which quickly became a headache for clients and staff alike.

 In September 2016, he made the move just a few minutes’ walk away from his first location. His new salon is again off the main street, but this time he's surrounded by busy neighbours - a cafe and gym below, a shop next door, a bustling restaurant across the road.

It cost Andrew $20,000 to make the move to his new location. Source: Supplied

"I just feel part of a community here."

 And he's now got not just one, but two loos on site.

 Has it all translated into an increase in business?

 "There's been a thirty per cent increase [in business] every year since we started," Andrew explains. "But we were starting from zero. So that trend is - the relocation, we haven't gone down at all but are still on that kind of rise." 

Soho's loss, Potts Point's gain. 

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