Wayne's new brand offers cheaper cuts

Auckland hairdressing entrepreneur Rodney Wayne is launching a new chain of salons, Stylexpress, which will aim at a different market.

"Stylexpress will be faster, less expensive," said Wayne, who has been in the hairdressing business for 42 years and who also has the retail business Shampoo n' Things.

"Stylexpress will open at The Base in Hamilton and our current Hair Express will be re-branded and re-fitted to the same standard in Chartwell.

"This will give two Stylexpress outlets in Hamilton open and trading this year."

Cuts at the new business would be considerably cheaper.

"A haircut at Stylexpress is $48 compared with starting at $79 at Rodney Wayne.

"The Rodney Wayne figure varies because a haircut at Rodney Wayne 277, for example, is higher than a haircut at Rodney Wayne Timaru. A colour at Stylexpress is $69 whereas at Rodney Wayne it is from $89 depending on which colour service you have.

"The success of the new formula will determine the speed of a rollout throughout the country.

"I envisage there are many areas and sites that a Stylexpress may be more successful than Rodney Wayne so we see this as a significant opportunity.

"Stylexpress will purposely be positioned to sit between the Shearing Shed and Rodney Wayne," he said.

Wayne addressed the Property Council retail conference at SkyCity last month and told how his first Rodney Wayne salons in Auckland took high-quality hairdressing outside the CBD for the first time.

Chris Dibble, Jones Lang LaSalle's research and consulting manager, told the conference about gym expansion, particularly by Jetts, the Australian budget operator which plans 25 gyms.

In Auckland it has opened in Royal Oak and Eden Terrace and is aiming for Glenfield and New Lynn. It also offers franchise deals.

New customers get free three-day trials. Fees start at $23.94 a month for one person. Some gyms charge $70 or more a month.

COSTS TRIMMED

Cheap cuts
* Stylexpress: $48 a cut.

Cheap gym
* Jetts: $23.94 a month.