1 on 1 Beauty Salon owner Sharon Findlay is frustrated with the temporary closure of her Narre Warren business due to an arson attack on a shop next door.
By Callan Date
BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder but there is only anger in the eyes of a Narre Warren beauty salon owner.
Sharon Findlay was shattered to discover her business, 1 on 1 Beauty Salon, had suffered smoke and water damage from an arson attack on a neighbouring shop last week.
The fire has resulted in the closure of her store for the last week and a major disruption in business operations.
Adding to the chaos is Ms Findlay wedding, scheduled for next weekend, and the lack of insurance covering the loss of income suffered from the fire.
“I’m a bit shocked by it all and anxious to find out when we will be able to open back up,” Ms Findlay said.
The small business owner has been unable to open due to the electrical company, Origin Energy, failing to turn the power back on to the business.
“Origin seems to be taking forever to get it turned back on. I’m hoping to be open by next week,” she said.
Ms Findlay is particularly frustrated that the salon’s closure has coincided with the busy Spring Carnival period.
“It’s a bad time to be happening. Hopefully this hasn’t affected us too much and the clients will continue to come to the salon.”
Police said the fire started at the City Finance Casey store at about 3.30am last Thursday.
Narre Warren Senior Sergeant Ian Wilcox said a glass panel on the front door of the building was smashed and the fire was started using an igniter similar to a blowtorch.
Ms Findlay said it was hard to put a figure on the loss of income suffered but she had learnt a lesson from her first business venture.
“I will be definitely taking out work disruption insurance to cover anything like this happening again,” she said.
An Origin Energy official did not respond to question before the News went to press.
And what about the wedding plans?
“There has been a lot of running around and unfortunately I will have to shut the shop again next Friday for my wedding,” Ms Findlay said.
