KOHORT Studio at 234 Bridge Road, Richmond is a co-working hair salon where independent Melbourne hairdressers rent chairs and run their own businesses. Your books, your pricing, your brand. If you are weighing up chair rental versus staying on commission, this page is an honest look at the difference and what to think about before you make the move.

Why Melbourne hairdressers go independent

It usually starts with the same feeling: you have been in the industry long enough, you have built a solid client base, and you are starting to notice how much of what you earn goes somewhere other than your bank account. The commission model made sense early on. You had access to a space, support, a built-in client flow, and the security of a wage. But once your book is full and your skills are developed, the structure that helped you grow starts to cost you.

Going independent changes the equation. You are no longer sharing your revenue in proportion to your output. You run your own business inside the space, on an arrangement we agree on upfront. For a busy hairdresser who is ready, that independence can add up. It is not guaranteed to be better from day one, but for stylists who are ready, it usually is.

The other thing stylists mention is autonomy. Setting your own hours, choosing which services to offer, deciding how to talk to your clients and build your brand. These are not small things after years of working inside someone else's business.

Chair rental versus commission: the honest comparison

There is no single right answer here, and anyone who tells you chair rental is always better is not giving you the full picture. What matters is where you are in your career and what you need from your work environment.

Commission gives you stability. You pay nothing for the space, and a slower week costs you less. If you are still building your book, the risk sits more with the salon owner. The trade-off is that a productive week means a large portion of your revenue goes to overheads and the business, not to you.

Chair rental flips that. Your cost is fixed regardless of how your week goes, which means a slower period can feel tight. But a strong week is fully yours. If your book is consistent and you can cover the rental comfortably, the margin per client is usually much better. You also own every client relationship, every piece of data, and every part of your professional brand.

The stylists who do best in a rental model are typically those with an established client base, a clear sense of their own brand, and the discipline to manage their own schedule and finances. If that sounds like you, it is worth doing the numbers seriously.

What to look for in a Melbourne co-working salon

Not all chair rental arrangements are the same. The space you work in shapes your day, your brand and your client's experience, so it is worth thinking through what matters before you commit anywhere.

• The quality of the space. Is it professionally fitted? Is the lighting good for colour work? Are the basins and styling stations in good condition? A rough or dated environment sends a signal to your clients.
• The culture of the other stylists. You will share a floor with whoever else is renting. Ideally they are skilled, professional, and at a similar stage of their career. A room of stylists who respect each other's work and refer to each other when they are booked out is genuinely valuable.
• The terms. What is included in the rental? What is not? Can you work part-time? What happens if you want to leave? Read everything and ask the questions that matter to you.
• The location. Your clients need to be able to get there, and the address needs to make sense for the clients you want to attract or keep.

Why Richmond is a strong base for inner-Melbourne stylists

Richmond at 3121 sits in one of the better-connected parts of the inner east. Bridge Road specifically is a known shopping and dining strip with genuine foot traffic, not a quiet back street. If you are based in Fitzroy, Collingwood, Abbotsford, South Yarra, or Hawthorn, the commute to a Bridge Road address is short in every direction.

Richmond Station and East Richmond Station make the address reachable from the CBD and the south-east. The trams that run along Bridge Road connect clients from the inner north and the east. For your clients in Cremorne, Burnley and the Yarra corridor, this is essentially local.

The inner east is also one of Melbourne's higher-spend precincts for personal services. Stylists here work with clients who value quality, book ahead, and are unlikely to switch salons over a minor inconvenience. If you are building a premium independent brand, this part of the city supports that positioning.

How KOHORT works for independent hairdressers

KOHORT was built by hairdressers who went through exactly this decision. The result is a co-working salon at 234 Bridge Road designed around how independent stylists actually operate. Seven stylists are currently based here, each running their own column, their own books and their own brand.

The setup gives you your own designated space, access to a professional colour bar with quality products, and shared backwash. You bring your own clients and manage your own schedule. There is no head stylist telling you how to run your column, no junior you have to manage. The financial arrangement is something we agree with you directly, so you always know where you stand.

For a fuller picture of what working here looks like day to day, read about how KOHORT works or meet the stylists currently here. Talking to people already in the space is usually the most useful thing you can do before deciding.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chair rental and a commission salon?

In a commission arrangement, you keep a percentage of what you earn and the salon covers overheads. In chair rental, you pay a fixed fee for your space and keep everything you earn above that. Commission is lower risk when your book is thin; rental usually works better financially once your book is consistent.

Do I need an ABN to rent a chair in Melbourne?

Yes. Chair rental means you are operating as an independent contractor or sole trader, so you need to be registered with an ABN and manage your own tax and superannuation. If you are new to this, an accountant who works with tradies or creatives is worth the conversation before you start.

Is Richmond a good location for a Melbourne-based hairdresser?

For inner-city stylists, yes. Bridge Road is a well-trafficked strip in the inner east with good public transport connections. Clients from Fitzroy, Collingwood, South Yarra, Hawthorn and the eastern suburbs can all reach it easily. Richmond and East Richmond stations are close, and trams run along Bridge Road.

What is included when I rent a chair at KOHORT?

Your own designated column, styling station and storage, backwash access, colour bar and processing space, and a professionally fitted working environment. The specifics, including rates, depend on the number of days and the space. Talk to us about what suits your situation.

Can I keep my own client list and booking system?

Completely. Your client data and booking system are yours. You manage all of your own appointments and client communication. KOHORT provides the space; your business runs itself.

How many stylists work at KOHORT?

Seven independent stylists are currently based at KOHORT, each running their own column. The community is part of what makes the space work, but everyone operates independently.

How do I apply to rent a chair at KOHORT?

Start on the join KOHORT page. We have a conversation about where you are in your career, what you are looking for, and whether the space and the timing make sense. It is not a one-sided interview. You should be asking questions too.