About SOAK | Victoria's First Licensed Beauty Bar — Melbourne

Victoria's First Licensed Beauty Bar  ·  Est. 2019

This is not
a salon story.

It's the story of a question nobody else was asking — and what happened when we decided to answer it.

Chapter One

The beauty industry
forgot the experience.

Somewhere along the way, salons became factories. You booked online. You arrived. You were processed. You left. The result was fine. The experience was forgotten the moment you walked out the door.

The industry optimised for throughput. More clients, faster turnover, less room. Appointments became errands. Nobody asked why.

"When did caring for yourself start feeling like another thing to get done?"

Nobody was asking this question out loud. But a lot of people were feeling it.

The bar at SOAK
Chapter Two

We didn't open
a salon. We
opened a bar.

The idea was simple. Almost obvious, in retrospect. What if a beauty appointment felt more like going to your favourite bar? What if it was social? What if the space was somewhere you actually wanted to be?

What if — for the time you were there — there was genuinely nowhere better to be?

That question became a business plan. The business plan required a liquor licence. And that licence would make SOAK something no beauty business in Victoria had ever been before.

"Beauty and hospitality have always belonged together. We just decided to be the first in Victoria to prove it."

2019
Victoria issued its first liquor licence to a beauty business.

SOAK Bar + Beauty opened at 657 Chapel Street, South Yarra. A full cocktail, wine, and champagne menu. A 15-metre natural stone manicure counter. A team from across the world. Something the industry had never seen.

Chapter Three

Chapel Street.
South Yarra.
The beginning.

A 2019 opening that didn't try to fit into an existing category — because the category didn't exist yet.

SOAK South Yarra — the original
South Yarra · The Flagship · Est. 2019

The fitout looked more like a glamorous bar than a beauty salon — deliberately. A 15-metre manicure counter in natural stone. Brushed brass fittings. A mural of the female form by artist Katie Ford stretching across one wall. Custom-built lounge areas. Two beauty rooms. A bar stocked with cocktails, champagne, wine, and spirits.

South Yarra understood it immediately. Fridays and Saturdays booked out in weeks. Groups hired the space — it could hold over 50. Regulars had drink orders on file. They brought colleagues. They came back on weekends. They started calling it their place.

The vision was inclusive from the start: a gender-neutral, welcoming space for every body. Not one type of client in mind — just a genuinely great experience for anyone who walked through the door.

"They started calling it their place."
Chapter Four

The seaside.
Elwood.
A different light.

In 2024, SOAK opened its second location at 5 Ormond Road, Elwood. Not a replication of South Yarra — something new entirely, built with a single intention: to create a space that feels as though it has always belonged to the existing suburb and its community.

Where South Yarra is urban energy, Elwood is a slower exhale. Coastal surroundings. A more refined and serene aesthetic. The particular quality of light that only Elwood has. A vacation vibe without leaving the city.

Same bar. Same standard. Same considered welcome. An entirely different room.

"Same standard. Same bar. Different light entirely."

SOAK Elwood
2024
Elwood. The Seaside Salon.

5 Ormond Road, Elwood. A coastal location designed to feel like it had always been there — and immediately adopted by the community it was built for.

Chapter Five

Today, SOAK is
two places.
One standard.

South Yarra and Elwood. Urban and coastal. Different light, different pace — the same considered beauty experience and fully-licensed bar.

Our team now spans more than 30 nationalities. Casual artists have grown into shareholders. The people who were here on day one are still here — building what comes next. Monthly team events, ongoing training, real career progression. The beauty industry has a burnout problem. We are building the alternative.

Together, the two locations prove the concept isn't tied to one postcode. The licensed beauty bar works wherever people value their time.

2 Locations — South Yarra & Elwood
30+ Nationalities on the team
First Licensed beauty bar in Victoria
2019 The year we opened our doors
How We Operate

Not values on a wall.
Daily decisions.

At SOAK Bar + Beauty, we believe beauty should never come at the cost of people or the planet.

Guided by our core values — Fun, Quality, Self-Care, Community and Integrity — we are here to shake up the beauty game with conscious, inclusive experiences that feel as good as they look. From the products we stock to the way we run our spaces, we keep things thoughtful, transparent and full of heart.

We are big on connection, big on trust and big on sharing what we know, so every guest feels confident and cared for from the moment they walk in.

Environmental

As the original licensed beauty bars in Victoria, we balance two priorities every day: ultra-clean, high-standard services and a lighter impact on the planet. It is not always easy, but we are up for the challenge.

We bulk order to reduce packaging and delivery emissions, run as paperlessly as possible with smart digital tools, and prioritise refillables and recycling in our day-to-day. Where we can, we choose Australian-owned and made, female-owned, vegan, low or no-tox, and recyclable products.

We love educating our guests on these choices too, with service options that are low-waste and product lines that are as transparent as they are fabulous.

Bulk ordering · Paperless · Low-waste
Social

People are at the heart of SOAK — our team, our guests and our community. We believe beauty is for every body, and we are proud to create a space where everyone is welcome, respected and celebrated.

Our team is made up of talent from 30+ countries, and we honour that diversity with intention through inclusive hiring, flexible schedules, tailored roles and a culture built on respect, collaboration and fun.

Career progression here is real. Casual artists have grown into full-time leaders, managers and even shareholders. We support our team with bonuses, commissions, monthly social events and perks that allow their friends and family to feel part of the SOAK magic too.

Throughout the year, we also support causes that matter to our staff and clients, donating to selected charities and championing community connections that go beyond beauty.

30+ countries · Inclusive hiring · Real progression
Governance

We know the hair and beauty industry has work to do, and we are committed to holding ourselves accountable.

SOAK follows award guidelines, including weekend penalty rates. To keep our small business operating sustainably while continuing to deliver the experience our guests love, we apply a 15% Saturday surcharge to help cover some of this cost.

We also take data privacy seriously. Our systems are backed by PCI-compliant payment providers, and all personal information is securely stored and handled with care.

Whether you are booking an appointment or sharing feedback, your trust means everything to us.

Hair & Beauty Award Guide
Fair pay · Privacy · Accountability
Our Promise

At SOAK, these are not just policies. They are our everyday promises.

This is how we do business beautifully.

Fun · Quality · Self-Care · Community · Integrity
Chapter Six

We're just
getting started.

A third location is coming. Sydney is next. The concept is expanding because it works — and because the question that started this in 2019 still has more answers left in it.

SOAK was never meant to stay in one neighbourhood. It was always meant to be a category. A new way of thinking about beauty, hospitality, and the time you spend on yourself.

The story isn't finished. It's only at chapter six.

Come experience
it yourself.

Two locations. One standard. A drink waiting when you arrive.

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