When people look for a salon location, most of them start with the rent. That is the first mistake. A cheap shop in the wrong place will cost you far more than a good shop with proper footfall.
My first salon was exactly that mistake. We had no money, so we built a tiny shop at home, facing the street, with the cheapest everything. But honestly, the biggest problem wasn't the cold, the poor fit-out or the cheap equipment. It was the location.
At the same time, my competitor rented a garage in a prime spot next to the busiest administrative building in town. His diary filled almost straight away because the right people walked past him every day. Rent was never the problem for him, because the location did the hard part.
The calculation is simple. If one shop is £800 a month and another is £1,600, most people run to the cheaper one. But if the better location brings you just two extra clients a day at £30 each, that is around £1,800 more a month over 30 days. The extra rent is covered, and you are still ahead.
Look, if a unit is cheap, ask yourself why. Usually, there is a reason. Simply put, don't choose a location because you can afford the rent. Choose it because clients can actually find you, pass you, and book with you. I go into the full system in the Appointica Academy.