About Us New 2026 - SJ Establishment

We Are SJ Establishment.

And We Are So Glad You Found Us.

A proudly independent Adelaide hair salon built on one belief: that every single person who sits in our chair deserves to leave feeling completely, brilliantly themselves.

Home to Australia's 2024 Hairdresser of the Year.

Meet The Global Ambassador and Educator

Sam James

With more than 20 years behind the chair and Australia's 2024 Hairdresser of the Year title to her name, Sam James has spent her career doing one thing better than almost anyone else: making every client feel like the only person in the room. Known for her thorough consultations, her honest professional opinion and an ability to educate clients in a way that actually makes sense, Sam brings something rare to every appointment, a genuine understanding that great hair starts with a real conversation. These days her passion sits equally across the chair and the business of running a salon that her team genuinely loves coming to, because she knows a happy team is what makes the client experience at SJ so different. By her own admission she never shuts up, is probably already close friends with most of her clients and is still taking on new faces when the timing is right because she has never been able to resist a challenge. Twenty-plus years in and she still cannot believe how fast it has gone.

What Makes SJ Different

A lot of salons will tell you they are different. We would rather just show you.

We actually listen

Your consultation is not a formality here. Before we touch your hair, we want to understand your history, your lifestyle, what you love, what has not worked before and exactly what you are hoping to walk out with. That conversation is where great hair starts.

We set the standard

Our Director, Sam James, is Australia's 2024 Hairdresser of the Year. That is not a title we mention to impress you. We mention it because it sets the standard for everything that happens in this salon. Every member of our team is trained, mentored and held to an expectation of excellence that flows from the top down.

We invest in our team

Culture is everything at SJ Establishment. We believe that a happy, educated, passionate team produces better results for every single client in the chair. That is why we invest heavily in ongoing education, in-house training and creating an environment where our stylists genuinely love coming to work. You can feel that the moment you walk in.

We never judge

Whatever your hair history, budget, or goals, you will never feel judged here. We have seen it all, and we love it all. You will always be welcomed exactly as you are.

We make it easy

Transparent tiered pricing means you always know exactly what you are paying before you book. No surprises, no awkward conversations at the desk. Just honest, upfront pricing that respects your time and your budget.

Recognised Across the Industry. Trusted Across Adelaide.

We are proud of our accolades. Not because awards define us, but because they reflect the commitment of every single person on our team, every single day.

Sam James: Australian Hairdresser of the Year 2024

Australian AHIA Creative Team of the Year 2021 & 2022

AHIA State Salon Business of the Year 2021, 2022 & 2023

Australian Hairdresser of the Year Finalist 2021 & 2023

Sam James: 5x SA/TAS Hairdresser of the Year

National Editors Choice Award Winner 2019

Every award we have ever received has been a team effort. And every team effort starts with the person sitting in the chair.

More Than a Salon. A Community.

Walk into SJ Establishment and you will feel it straight away. There is something different here. It is in the way the team talks to each other, the way they welcome every client, the way they genuinely celebrate a great result.

That is not an accident. Sam has built SJ from the ground up around a culture of warmth, respect and shared passion. Stylists from all walks of life, united by a love of their craft and a commitment to making every person who sits in their chair feel absolutely unstoppable when they leave.

We do team education nights. We celebrate each other's wins. We show up for our clients and we show up for each other. Because we believe the energy in a salon flows directly into the chair.

When you book at SJ, you are not just booking a haircut. You are becoming part of something.

Good Hair and a Good Conscience.

From the very beginning, doing right by the planet has been part of who we are at SJ Establishment. As proud members of the Sustainable Salons programme, we divert more than 98 per cent of our waste from landfill every week. Every foil is recycled. Every chemical is repurposed. Hair is donated to make wigs for people going through cancer treatment. Funds are raised to support meals for people experiencing homelessness and to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

When you choose SJ Establishment, you are choosing a salon that gives back.

Less than 2% of our waste goes to landfill each week.

Adelaide Born. Adelaide Proud.

SJ Establishment has called Prospect Road home since the very beginning. We are not a franchise. We are not a chain. We are an independent Adelaide business, built from the ground up by a local woman with a vision for what a salon could be.

We are invested in this community because this community is ours. Our clients are our neighbours, our friends and our family. And we never take that for granted.

SJ Establishment

102a Prospect Road PROSPECT SA

hello@sjestablishment.com.au

08 8344 4515