The Art Gallery

Background

Ozgur Soylu has spent over 13 years building a reputation in the barbering industry. In 2012 he co-founded the L1 Styles brand, growing it to six barbershops across Liverpool. In 2016 he launched Olive Branch Mediterranean Street Food, demonstrating an appetite for hospitality that went well beyond the barber’s chair.

His next venture — The Art Gallery NW Limited — draws on everything he has learned. The concept combines a boutique barbershop, a speciality café and a curated space for local artwork, all under one roof in a 180 square metre corner unit on Cavendish Walk, Huyton Village.

The Challenge

Creating a multi-use venue of this kind requires significant upfront capital — for the fitout, equipment, licensing and working capital to reach trading stability. Ozgur needed a funding partner who understood both the commercial logic of a hybrid model and the role the venue would play in the local community.

He approached River Capital for a six-figure investment from NPIF II – River Capital & GC Business Finance Smaller Loans to make the project viable.

The Solution

The investment enables Ozgur to transform the Cavendish Walk unit into a fully operational venue offering:

— A speciality coffee bar serving premium hot drinks, bakery goods, light meals and licensed beverages

— A boutique barbershop, relocating and expanding his existing L1 Barbers Huyton business into the new premises

— A gallery space showcasing local artists, with plans for paid workshops and events

The venue will create four jobs at launch, with the potential to grow as the business scales.

Community Impact

The Art Gallery NW opens in line with Knowsley Council’s ambitious 10-year development plan for Huyton, which includes a shop improvement programme and a public arts strategy. The venue directly supports those goals — bringing footfall, creativity and employment to a high street in active regeneration.