Nikki Andrews, Co-Founder of Collective, and Steve Madden, Co-Founder, Crema Coffee. Picture: Dorset Biz News.
Published: February 9, 2023 | Updated: 11th February 2023
A new UK concept that combines a front of house coffee shop with up to 15 beauty co-working spaces has opened its second site with a further four in the pipeline.
Business Partners James Benamor and Nikki Andrews opened the first Collective in Bournemouth’s Westover Road in December 2021.
They’ve now launched a second at 687 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, with more sites secured in Brighton (The Lanes), Portsmouth, Southsea and London.
Crema Coffee, co-founded by Steve Madden and JJ Adams, occupies the front section while 15 co-working spaces – available to rent daily, weekly or monthly – are located at the rear of the building.
Already several beauty businesses, ranging from scalp micropigmentation and nails to facials and massage, have moved in.
Nikki, pictured left, who worked in the finance sector before retraining for a career in beauty, said the retail concept while new to the UK was well-established in America.
She said: “We try to make things as easy as possible.
“The problem with most commercial leases is that they can be difficult, expensive and long.
“We try to take away all of the hardships.
“There’s no deposit and the beauty businesses can pay monthly, weekly or even by the day.
“The thing about beauty is that a lot of these girls haven’t come from a business background.
“They have a skill but don’t necessarily have the business acumen to build the business.
“They’re just trying to find their feet. If we can make it easier for them to have an accessible high street location then that’s part of the work done.”
It was James, pictured left, Founder and CEO of the Richmond Group, who came up with the idea of co-working space for beauty businesses.
Nikki, 37, said: “We’re giving businesses the opportunity to open much easier.
“A lot of these girls would probably have been working from home or working mobile.
“We’ve had a very successful rollout so far and, hopefully, it will continue.
“Everyone has really loved it and we’ve had great feedback from our members.
“It’s a real community.
“Rather than competing with each other our members have embraced working together and becoming like a sisterhood.
“There’s a perception that, particularly among women, there’s a lot of competition and bitchiness in salons.
“We’ve not experienced any of that.
“Instead our members recognise that the stronger each person is independently then the stronger we all are collectively.”
Nikki said the coffee shops – Crema in Boscombe and Fika in Westover Road – were a crucial part of the concept.
She said: “They are the soul of what we do. Without them it wouldn’t be the same.”
Steve, 38, pictured left, said he had known Nikki for about 18 years and had been advising her on the coffee operation before she invited him, and JJ Adams, to run it themselves.
Crema officially launched last November, creating five jobs.
Although only open six weeks, the business has attracted five star reviews on Google including:
Steve said: “Nikki offered us a great opportunity where the barrier to entry was quite low.
“It was worth my time and a little bit of risk.
“Nikki pays for all the fixture and fittings and we provided the kit and are financially responsible for operating the business.
“We operate on a licence not a lease.
“When things are fully up and running there’ll be up to 15 beauty businesses.
“If each girl does between seven and eight clients a day then that’s just over a hundred people coming through.
“All of a sudden we’ve got a thriving shop and busy sites attract people.
“I love building brands and creativity and feel 100 per cent optimistic.”
Nikki, who also owns Naked Beauty in Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, said the next site likely to open was in London Road, Portsmouth.
She said: “I’ve borrowed millions but I feel we’ve been really lucky to have opened a business at this time and in the way the economy is at the moment.
“Without James, though, none of this would have happened.
“He’s made the investment very easy and that’s the biggest hurdle for many people.”
