TWO well-known local businesses have joined forces post-pandemic to stay open in Bradford amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Gino Hair Salon and Howards Way Travel Centre on Cheapside, Bradford, have teamed up and will now be working from the same unit.
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The businesses, which opened in the late 1980’s, have a rich history in Bradford and were beginning to struggle after Covid.
Gino Guido Succoi, 57, from Wibsey, is the owner of Gino Hair Salon, and Howard Coffey, 58, from Queensbury, is the owner of Howards Way Travel Centre.
The two businessmen have worked next door to each other on Cheapside for over 30 years.
Gino said: “The cost of everything was going up, rent, electricity and a lot of people were working from home, so we lost some of our customers.
“We’re Bradford born and bred, and we’ve been here a long time.
“We had two options, either leave Bradford and take our business elsewhere or do this and we chose to do this.
“We wanted to give it a real good go, so we moved our businesses in together.”
Gino has cut and styled the hair of some big stars, right here in his shop on Cheapside.
From Henry Winkler, from Happy Days, to singer Chico Slimani, and the Bradford legend Billy Pearce among other celebrities.
“We’re right opposite the Midland Hotel and Henry Winkler was here to give a talk about dyslexia and the hotel recommended me to freshen him up.”
The newly-refurbished unit, which took just over eight weeks, opened this week and has already drawn in customers.
“It’s the January slump, people are waiting a couple of weeks to have their haircut and the travel side of things is a bit slow, but it’ll start picking up soon as people will start booking their summer holidays,” said Gino.
The unit opens into the hair salon, and then a separate room for Howard’s Way.
The two are hoping it will be a positive and mutually beneficial venture.
Gino added: “We’ve got a lot of history here in Bradford and with winning City of Culture, there’s a chance for some real investment and we want to be here for that.
“We remember the good times and we’re hopeful that they can come back again.
“We’re trying to be optimistic about it.”
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