After 40 years, time to move on

IT WAS certainly an end of an era when Yvonne Bou-Samra closed her Intershape Hairstylists salon at the weekend.

The salon was Mrs Bou-Samra’s first business which she opened in the Wilsonton Shopping Centre more than 40 years ago.

Hers was actually the first business to sign on as a tenant for the shopping centre’s developer Clive Berghofer.

“I’m really grateful to Clive for giving me the opportunity,” said Mrs Bou-Samra who now owns 11 salons - seven in Toowoomba and four in Brisbane.

“I’d also like to thank all the people who have supported us, we have long-term customers and long-term staff.

“They’re all more like friends than clients... they’re all our friends.

“We’ve had up to four generations of families come here.”

Some customers, like Judy Gardiner, have been having their hair done at the salon since it opened.

Mrs Gardiner, like many other long-term clients, took the opportunity to have her hair done one more time at the salon.

“I’ve been coming here since it opened and I’ve had many different styles, different colours... different everything,” she smiled.

Beryl Paroz was also in their chair having her final hair appointment at the salon under the expertise of long-term Intershape hairdresser Cathy Rookas.

“I’ve been coming here for years,” Mrs Paroz said.

“They’re lovely, beautiful people and I’ll miss them.

“They’re more like family here.”

Mrs Rookas said her children had literally grown up in the salon.

“My kids went to Sacred Heart up the road and they used to walk down here after school,” she said.

“Sometimes they’d help sweep up and Yvonne would buy them a lemonade or something.”

Mrs Rookas had been at Intershape for more than 20 years.

Hayley Smythe had been having her hair done since her mother Pauline took her to Intershape as a baby.

She too was on hand for the salon’s farewell.

Though not under scissors herself, Hayley sat by as her mother had her regular appointment in the chair.

Although the Wilsonton salon has closed, Mrs Bou-Samra is far from hanging up the scissors.

She will continue cutting and shaping hair at her other salons as will Mrs Rookas who is heading to one of Mrs Bou-Samra’s other salons.

PHOTOS: NEV MADSEN DIRECTOR’S CUT: Yvonne Bou-Samra recalls her 40 years in the Intershape Hairstylists salon in the Wilsonton Shopping Centre while giving a final cut to long-time client Judy Gardiner.

Beryl Paroz gives Intershape Hairstylists hairdresser of more than 20 years Cathy Rookas a farewell kiss after her final visit to the Wilsonton salon.

Hayley Smythe had her first haircut as a baby at Intershape Hairstylists at the Wilsonton Shopping Centre and dropped by for the salon’s last day of business.