‘We’re finally starting to see the silver lining in big move’
ONLY now, two months after relocating her business to a new Church Street premises is Tracey Grimes managing to draw breath and take stock of what has been a whirlwind move.
Formerly operating her hair salon out of her home in Ballygologue, Tracey was left with no option but to make the big move as business improved.
Luckily, she had the help of an extremely capable righthand man to call on - boyfriend and Garda Daniel O’Mahony.
“It was his idea to move the business,” Tracey laughs. “In fairness, it was getting unmanageable working it out of the house, where it had been for the past four years, as it was getting just so busy,” Tracey told The Kerryman.
Over the past four years the salon has made quite a name for itself in beauty circles, drawing customers from all over the province.
Demand is on the back of the particular area of hair and beauty Tracey really specialises in – hair extensions.
“For that reason we’re not really competing with anyone else in Listowel as we’re the only salon which offers it and that’s why we draw from such a wide area too.
“Even a lot of local people who might be living up in Dublin, say, will book in before they head back when they’re down at weekends.”
The move had to happen for all the right reasons, but it entailed – as any move does –a whole heap of stress.
“It was very difficult – you couldn’t be prepared for it because there’s so many unforeseen hiccups at the start. It felt like everything that could go wrong did go wrong and to be honest it’s only now we’re getting to draw a breath and see the silver lining,” Tracey said.
With Daniel by her side, she worked round-the-clock to get the new Tracey Grimes Hair and Hair Extension salon looking its very best in the new space on Upper Church St – just a couple of doors up from John B’s.
The work paid off in droves and then some, as Tracey, Daniel, her family and friends and seemingly most of her customers enjoyed a fantastic opening ceremony on the June Bank Holiday weekend.
Such is the degree to which the move is already paying off that Tracey’s looking to employ an additional stylist to complement the existing workforce, which includes stylist Bernie O’Brien from Kilmoyley and local resident Sonata. But there’s only one snag: “We can’t get anyone as of yet!” If there’s a stylist out there, they’re advised to send off the CV.