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The Biyoni Story

 

We started the salon with a very clear idea. Great hairdressing, great coffee (that we don’t charge for!), in a great space for people to relax in, with great staff and a great atmosphere!

Now, I know I’ve said the word great a lot, but we wanted the whole experience to be better than good!

Andrew comes from Shetland, a very small, very cold, very beautiful island in the very north of Scotland (any further north and you hit Iceland!). His mother was a hairdresser when he was growing up and the overriding memory of her work was that of laughter, great fun and clients who became friends. The shop that she worked in with one of her friends was a small cabin with very little to say about itself but the thing that mattered most there was the atmosphere and the hairdressing. The clients even made their own coffee!

When he embarked upon his own career, he worked between Shetland and Edinburgh as there was no training college in Shetland for hairdressing. With his 3 month blocks in Edinburgh, he went to college and attended a placement at a large city centre salon, and when at home in Shetland, he worked in a small three position shop which happened to be the most popular salon on the island! The contrast between the two was vast. In the city, the discipline and training was paramount and the staff very professional. The prices were very high, but so were the standards. In Shetland, the hair was always important, but so was the sense of community and fun.

Andrew has worked in Glasgow and Aberdeen in some great salons, but became obsessed with an idea. What if we could have a salon that was professional, looked great, had a fantastic range of coffees and teas (which we don’t charge for), great training for all staff so they can provide the best and most up-to-date services to clients , and an unbelievably relaxed and homely environment which people can become a part of! This sounded great to us!

Before opening, Andrew & Matthew (Andrew’s right hand man and School friend, also from the islands) did a lot of research staking out the competition to see what they provided. They found a lot of what they were talking about but never really in one place.

So that’s where Biyoni came from! You can let us know what you think on the comment cards provided, and from all the team we wish you a great experience and we’re sure you will become a part of the Biyoni family!

Andrew