Orange hairdresser Bizzi Scizzors celebrates 30 years in business

Ms Bowman owns Bizzi Scizzors salon in the Anson Street Plaza and on Saturday will mark 30 years since first opening on March 25, 1993.

She'll celebrate the occasion by doing what she loves most, checking in with customers as she styles their hair.

"It's not something I'd still do if I didn't love it," she said.

"I love meeting people I think and just having a chat with them. I still enjoy it and I have amazing staff, I've always had good staff so I've been lucky.

"We've had entire families come through here and even after 30 years I'm still cutting some people's hair. They've seen me get married, have my daughter and all sorts of things."

Since 1993 there have been plenty of challenges facing businesses but Ms Bowman said COVID stood out as her greatest obstacle.

Despite the many curveballs the pandemic threw at her, she said she definitely gained an appreciation of the power of a good haircut.

"During COVID this was one place people could come to for a little while," she said.

"We closed for six weeks and could only use every second seat so the girls' hours had to be reduced.

"But people could still come in. We were an essential service for the first part. It was good because this was the only place that some people could come into.

"I think it's a mental health thing. Having your hair done makes you feel good. There's a reward in seeing people feel good about themselves when they leave."

"Getting through COVID and picking up after has definitely been the biggest challenge.

"I said to a client today that when I started 30 years ago I was like 'here we go' but surviving COVID and still being able to operate was such a big thing. A lot of businesses didn't get through."

Her passion for hairdressing stretches back well beyond the 30 years of Bizzi Scizzors and she has no plans to finish up yet.

"I always wanted to be a hairdresser when I was at school," she said.

"I had a Saturday morning job for three hours helping a lady out and then got an apprenticeship.

"Thirty years is a long time but I've just signed the lease for another five years so I won't be going anywhere for a little while."

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