Hair and beauty co-working concept changing the face of Brisbane’s flexible workspaces
A rapidly growing Brisbane-based co-working community for hair and beauty freelancers is set to expand its concept nationally.
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A NEW concept is changing the face — quite literally — inside Brisbane’s booming co-working sector.
Freedom Suites is a locally-based newcomer carving out a rapidly growing niche as a co-working community for hair and beauty freelancers.
It is set to roll out a number of new sites across the city as well as the Gold Coast and beyond on the back of the success of its first location at Paddington’s Caxton St.
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The company is due to launch its second Brisbane site at Stones Corner in October, after committing to a 336sq m property on a 10-year lease brokered by Harry Dever of Colliers International.
It will be followed shortly after by a third site at Everton Park and, if all goes to plan, by the end of next year a Melbourne location.
Freedom Suites managing director, Rebecca Randle, discovered the co-working concept while travelling the US and recognised the huge potential in Australia.
Her plan is to open 15 sites nationally over the next three years.
“The concept, while new to Australia, is already well established overseas and has achieved great success particularly in North America,” she said.
Ms Randle said a high percentage of the freelancers using its co-working space were already established operators but the affordable and user-friendly concept also appealed to start-ups.
“All suites come fully equipped, ready for freelancers to move in and start working from day one,” she said.
“They are available with 24/7 access, and can be customised so the freelancers can build their own brand.”
Each of Freedom Suites’ locations will consist of 10 to 20 high quality, lockable, boutique salon suites available for rent on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis.
“Our Stones Corner location is the first on Brisbane’s southside and will be double the size of Caxton St with 19 rooms,” Ms Randle said.
“We lease large spaces which do not necessarily require retail frontage and build a high quality, expensive fitout.
“The Stones Corner site design will be a blend between industrial and contemporary Manhattan loft with polished concrete floors, exposed brick, wood, granite, glass and steel.
“This location was chosen because it is a hub of hair and beauty salons and only 10 minutes from the CBD and 15 minutes from two major shopping centres — Carindale and Garden City.
“It is predominantly residential, restaurants and H & B services — a great sign that it is a place where our freelancers would want to work” she said.
The property is within a busy retail strip at 392 Logan Rd.
Mr Dever, who negotiated the 10-year lease with a five-year option, said the high traffic location of mixed-use retail, and property’s flexible tenancy configuration, had also attracted inquiries from gym and pilates operators, as well as restaurant and cafe operators.
“Freedom Suites is the perfect business for the location as it complements the existing retail mix and will inject more life into the precinct,” he said.
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