A Cathedral Quarter family business, set up more than 30 years ago, has moved to new premises to pave the way for future expansion.

Headquarters Unisex Salon was originally set up in 1978 by Erica Holland, the mother of its present owner Rosin Clarke, in the Eagle Centre Market and moved the balcony in Derby Market Hall 20 years ago.

Rosin and her staff of three stylists have now moved into a newly-refurbished salon in Queen Street, above Wesley Owen book shop and have also teamed up with two beauty therapists to expand the range of services provided by the salon.

Rosin (38), who took over the business when she was 19, said: “We are really excited about the move.  Having built up a healthy business in the Market Hall, we decided we wanted the space to expand and raise the profile of the business.

“We have built up a loyal clientele who have been incredibly supportive as we have moved over to the new salon.

“Many of our customers have been coming to us for years with different generations of the same family all coming together.

“We have also built up a strong customer base of ladies and men with hearing difficulties as I am a trained signer – although I have to be particularly careful not to sign with scissors in my hand!

Rosin will be joined in Queen Street by beautician Clare Nuttall from Divine Dollis beauty retreat – offering a wide range of treatments and nail art as well as reflexologist Sara Reid who will also be offering sugar hair removal – a new and up and coming treatment rarely available in the city.

Rosin continued: “As well as building up the beauty treatments on offer, I am confident that we will be able to expand the team of stylists further in the coming months and years as we take advantage of the Cathedral Quarter’s resurgence and particularly the increased footfall in Queen Street and Iron Gate.

“I love this part of the city centre and was adamant that I wanted to stay in the Cathedral Quarter which has a real sense of community. 

“That sense of belonging was something that was particularly special in Derby Market Hall and is very important to us as a business so we wanted to remain part of that wider community by staying in this area.

“These new premises are ideal for us to take the business to the next level whilst staying true to our roots of offering a profession, competitively priced and friendly city centre salon.”

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Media enquiries: Sarah Jenkin-Jones, JJPR, Tel: 01332 515102/07951 945 665; sarah@jjpublicrelations.co.uk 

A Derby photographer is expanding his business in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter with a move to larger premises that will give him additional scope for modelling and ‘boudoir’ shoots.

Belper photographer James Corbett set up Firefly Photography in a small studio in Friar Gate in October 2007 and is has just completed a £25,000 refurbishment of the former Sony centre premises over the road which is four times the size of their original home.

The new premises include a purpose-built infinity studio including a stage and curve wall with special lighting designed for family portraits.

The first floor has been converted into a modelling suite – designated to makeover and modelling experience including a bespoke makeover room, various modelling sets and a makeover studio.

There is also a special area for the new boudoir packages – a growing trend in photography where brides in particular can come for a makeover, lingerie and tasteful semi-nude shots as presents for their new husbands.

James (32) explained: “We outgrew our original studio and are very excited about the move over the road which gives us more room for expanding the work we do and provides far superior editing and viewing areas for our staff and customers.

“There is huge demand for boudoir packages which we have not been able to fully take advantage of due to the space limitations at the existing studio so that this is an area of the business that we will particularly be expanding with the experience and reputation already gained through modelling and makeover packages.

“The larger premises also give us the scope to build up the commercial side of the business – giving us the space to cater for a wide range of products in the studio for studio photography.”

James, left Derby College with A levels and graduated from Coventry University with a Geography degree.  He travelled around the world for a year and then returned to the University of Derby to complete a Fine Art & Photography degree.

After working for several years in the business, including Olan Mills where he was promoted to run the studio, he decided to set up his own business where he now employs eight full time and freelance staff.

James continued: “We have expanded over the years and have been selected to work with some of the world’s largest voucher suppliers which has given us the security and level of business to be able to invest in refurbishing the new premises.

“I was determined to stay in the Cathedral Quarter at this crucial time in the Firefly Photography’s development. 

“We are an independent business and I wanted to stay here in the area that is synonymous with independence, customer service and quality. We certainly benefit from the address and from the footfall in Friar Gate.”

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Media enquiries: Sarah Jenkin-Jones, JJPR, Tel: 01332 515102/07951 945 665; sarah@jjpublicrelations.co.uk