Blueprint Hair Studio is moving house after 12 years on Par-la-Ville Road in Hamilton.

In October, the salon run by Raquel Gonzalez will open at 26 Reid Street in what used to be the AS Cooper’s women’s department.

The space has been unoccupied since the department store closed in July 2020.

Ms Gonzalez said because the floor had been shut for so long it needed a lot of tender love and care.

“It is a lot of work,” she said. “It is just an empty shell.”

The floor has also been divided to house at least two different businesses.

Ms Gonzalez decided to move because she has outgrown her space on Par-la-Ville Road.

“We went from having four employees to now 13,” she said. “There are nine hairstylists here and seven chairs. We just don’t have the capacity to fit.”

The entrepreneur looked for a new location for three to four years, without success.

“It was mainly because of the type of business it is,” she explained. “Some landlords don’t like to rent to businesses like ours. We use a lot of water and a lot of electricity.”

In the end, the owners of 26 Reid Street contacted her, knowing she was looking for a new place. “I was really lucky,” she said.

The new salon will be almost 3,000 sq ft, more than double the 1,300 sq ft Blueprint occupies today. That additional space will allow Ms Gonzalez to expand her team. She has already hired one additional stylist on a work permit and expects to recruit at least two more people to support new offerings.

“It is going to be a nice open plan with a one-stop-shop vibe,” she said. “It will be a little bit more modern and sophisticated.”

Everything at their new address will be brand new including chairs and salon stations.

She said: “It will be a bit more customised and a bit more like a lounge, rather than just coming to get your hair done. It will be more of a sanctuary.”

Ms Gonzalez secured the space in August last year but had to wait months for planning approvals.

“We were approved in late May,” she said. “It has been a long journey.”

She described the planning process as the biggest challenge of the move, particularly the financial strain of paying rent on a site that could not yet generate revenue.

Despite the hurdles, Ms Gonzalez is optimistic. She believes the new Reid Street location, with greater visibility and foot traffic will help Blueprint grow.

“Being able to be in a street where there is a lot of foot traffic will be really great,” she said. She is already looking forward to Christmas promotions and a more innovative presence in the city.

Ms Gonzalez fell in love with hairdressing in childhood and gained her hairdressing certificate at age 17.

“I specialise in bridal hair, so I do a lot of weddings and destination brides,” she said. “I also like to do colour. I like to do it all, really.”