Australian hair and beauty retailer Oz Hair and Beauty has confirmed that it will open 10 new stores across the country as part of a multi-million-dollar investment, with its latest store opening in Sydney’s Macquarie Centre, Macquarie Park this month.

Three additional stores are earmarked for Sydney, including Rouse Hill, and one each for Canberra Centre and Green Hill in NSW’s Maitland, as well as prime locations in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Oz Hair and Beauty was founded in 2012 by Anthony Nappa, whose parents own and operate hairdressing salons in Sydney, including the flagship OZ Hair salon in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building (QVB) since 1986. 

By 2019, Oz Hair and Beauty was turning over $2 million a month and doubled its revenue to $40 million by 2021. In the same year, investors including Edison Growth Fund, Accent Group CEO, Daniel Agostinelli, and billionaire businessman, Brett Blundy bought a stake in the business for an undisclosed amount. 

Oz Hair and Beauty now has six stores and salons in Sydney’s Penrith, Castle Hill and the QVB, as well as Erina Fair on the NSW Central Coast and Charlestown in Lake Macquarie, NSW. The company employees more than 120 people across its stores and its warehouse in Sydney’s Caringbah. Oz Hair and Beauty will expand its stores to 15 by the end of the year, increasing its employee numbers to 165.

The flagship OZ Hair salon in Sydney QVB.

“The cost of running an online business has skyrocketed by more than 20% in the past couple of years, with postage costs having soared by more 15% alone,” Nappa said.

While the rising costs of running an online store has shifted the company’s focus to physical stores, Nappa said the shift is about more than just the bottom dollar, as it is helping Oz Hair and Beauty give customers a more personalised experience.

“In the hair sector, particularly, our customers consistently seek advice, tips and support from specialist sales staff who help them find the best products, as they are qualified hair and beauty specialists,” he explained.

“We’re taking that feedback and not just expanding across Sydney, but in other cities where we have a large and loyal customer base. With hair products making up most of our sales, we strive to ramp up the personalised and expert-led experience our customers love.”