If a change is as good as a holiday, it’s no wonder Kelly and Brad Bakker made the move to the Bundaberg Region and they have now opened Rum City Barber Shop.
While Kelly has decades of experience clipping and cropping to ensure her clients are left looking dashing, Brad works as a paramedic, and that’s one of the reasons why they offer discounts for emergency personnel.
After falling in love with the Bundaberg Region three years ago, Kelly said they decided it was time for a change and shifted from the Atherton Tablelands to set up shop and they bought The Garage Barber Shop on Bourbong Street.
“We took over on the first of July and changed the name, as we thought we are in the Rum City and really like the name,” Kelly said.
“We offer everything from cut-throat shaves, kids cuts, to buzz cuts, right through to senior men’s, there is nothing the girls really don’t do.
“We look after the emergency services, that’s fireys, police and ambos too, because that’s close to our hearts.”
When it comes to a close shave, Kelly is an old-hand and she has previously owned six different salons across Queensland.
“I started hairdressing in 1987, I’ve seen lots of changes, I thrive on it,” she said.
“Rum City Barber Shop is really a place for men to come and be pampered, it’s really special.”
Kelly, 48, said setting up shop in a new town was exciting and Brad had taken 12 months off work to ensure it all went smoothly.
“Brad was working (as a paramedic) here three years ago when the original barber first opened, and we sought of eyed it off then and we fell in love with the region too,” she said.
“We are a big motorbike household actually and because everything here is flat, so it’s a great place to ride, it was perfect for us.
“We really have the best of everything here in Bundaberg, the beaches, the beautiful restaurants and the climate is just right.”
With her upbeat personality Kelly welcomes walk-in customers with a smile, and she says they always aim to help out men who make that last-minute decision to have a makeover.
“The girls we have are impeccable, they don’t do stock-standard, it’s precision, and just crazy what they can do,” she said.
“It’s not just a chop shop, there’s an experience to getting styled this way.
“We have bookings online, or just walk-in – we have a staff member who just does walk-ins.”
To find out more about Rum City Barber Shop click here.
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