Meet Jocelyn Tomay of Hairhouse in Camberwell Junction

When Jocelyn Tomay was just a teenager she’d pop into her mum’s business after school to help. Now she helps run the store, Hairhouse in Camberwell Junction, and her passion and energy are as strong as ever.

“Mum opened a temporary store further down the road. I was always there in my spare time and loved it,” Ms Tomay said.

“In 2001 we found 668 Burke Rd and we are still here. When I finished Year 12 I went straight into the business and now I am a co-franchisee with my mum and I still love to come to work.”

The women work a kind of job-share, each taking charge and coming into the store a few days a week.

“We don’t work together. We split the week and that really works for us,” Ms Tomay said.

Hairhouse in Camberwell Junction offers an array of retail, from everyday hair products to simple and sophisticated hair tools. There is also a full-service hair salon at the rear and a body piercing service upstairs.

“Body piercing remains as popular as ever and we are a trusted provider of that service,” Ms Tomay said.

Helix piercing, the piercing of the outer-ear cartilage, is hugely popular but the salon provides an array of piercings including the traditional lobe (the usual choice for first-timers) and facial, nose and body piercings.

Combining a hair salon and retail space

The hair salon, situated within the store, attracts a diverse clientele which Ms Tomay is proud of.

“We have young kids right through to grandparents, and we have a loyal and growing clientele,” she said.

“When the kids get older they often keep coming. As families expand, so does our clientele. People trust our service and advice, and they keep coming back. It’s beautiful. In a lot of ways, this business is like a big family.

“We have men and women clients which is great.”

Ms Tomay is also proud of the fact that the stylists have been at the salon for a long time – one has been there eight years and another ten years.

While you may not think of retail in the same space as hair and piercing salons, they combine very successfully at Hairhouse.

“The retail part of the business is popular too,” Ms Tomay said.

“We have a big range of electrical hair tools and also wonderful haircare and beauty brands.”

Ms Tomay believes the retail part of the business works because customers love to seek advice and information.

“We are a trusted source for that,” she said. “People like to talk about their hair. The health of their hair is important to them, so they ask questions about products – which to use, what are the ingredients, that sort of thing.

“They may have seen a hair tool on social media but they want to see it in person and also ask about the claims being made about it.”

A store environment that’s approachable

And Ms Tomay loves that part of her job.

She may be a franchisee but she is also a store manager and loves being on the floor.

“I’m not the type to stay away in an office. I love to talk to people and answer their questions and give what advice I can.

“We deliberately made our store environment an approachable one. We’re all about educating where we can,” Ms Tomay said.

Her message to a potential customer is: come on in.

“Come say hi. Ask whatever questions you have about the salon, piercing, products, your hair… whatever.  There’s no hard sell here. We will answer honestly and give the best information available to us.

“We’d love to see you.”

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