For Carlton
A hairdresser ten minutesdown Swanston.
Roi is not in Carlton. It is on the ground floor of Melbourne Central, which from most of Carlton is a shorter trip than parking.
Mon to Sat, from 10am
Getting here from Carlton
Ten minutes up Swanston on the 1 or 6.
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On the tram
The 1 and the 6 run straight down Swanston and stop at Melbourne Central. From Lygon Street it is a short walk across to the tram and about ten minutes on it.
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On foot
From the southern end of Carlton, past the university, it is twenty minutes down Swanston and you arrive at the Melbourne Central corner with the shot tower in front of you.
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Once you are here
Ground floor, the Lonsdale Street side. Stay on the level you walk in on. Number 300 is the frontage and the lit wordmark is above a timber-framed door.
Who comes down from Carlton
Students and university staff, mostly, and the pattern is a particular one: the trip happens between other things. Somebody is in town anyway, has an hour that was going to be spent waiting, and would rather spend it getting their hair cut. That is what a walk-in salon above a train station is for, and it is why Roi has never run on appointments alone.
The other thing Carlton sends is colour that has been done at home. A box dye at eleven at night is a student tradition, and getting it out again is one of the things this salon does most. There is no judgement attached to that conversation, only an honest answer about what it will take.
The salon
Roi opened on the ground floor of Melbourne Central in 1991 and has not moved since. Same floor, same door, same owner, while the rest of the building changed hands around it.
Walk-ins are most of the business rather than something squeezed in around bookings, which is the practical reason it suits anybody coming in from Carlton with an hour rather than a morning.
More about the salonWhat you would come in for
Colour, foils
and cutting.
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Colour and balayage Blondes, coppers, brunettes and full colour changes. Read about it -
Foils and highlights Face-framing pieces through to a full head. Read about it -
Cutting and styling Precision cutting, blow-dries and finishing, for women and men. Read about it
From 124 reviews on Google
Read them on Google“I was welcomed by the friendly staff as a walk-in and given a wash, cut and style that I absolutely adore.”
“The blow dry was honestly one of the best I’ve ever had. I felt completely at ease the entire time.”
“Been coming here for several years and service has always been consistent and super friendly. … Also very LGBTIQ+ friendly and have always felt safe here as a transgender woman.”
Questions
Coming in from
Carlton.
Anything not covered here, call 0499 927 027 and ask before you travel.
How do I get to Roi Hair from Carlton?
The 1 or the 6 tram down Swanston Street, which takes about ten minutes and stops at Melbourne Central. On foot from south Carlton it is roughly twenty minutes down the same street. Either way you arrive at the corner with the shot tower, and the salon is on the ground floor on the Lonsdale Street side.
Do I need to book, or can I just come down?
Come down. Walk-ins are most of what happens here, which is the advantage of being above a station rather than on a suburban strip. If you want a particular stylist or you are having colour, call ahead so the time can be held.
Is there parking?
There is parking at Melbourne Central, and from most of Carlton the tram will beat it. The salon sits directly above the station, so public transport is genuinely the faster option rather than the virtuous one.
Visit the salon
Walk in, or
call ahead.
Ground floor, Melbourne Central, 300 Lonsdale Street. Mon to Sat, from 10am