It’s ciao from Gino - 52 years a crimper
Sicilian scissorhands who styled the ladies of Ayr
Black Friday was highly apt as the last day of legendary ladies hair stylist Gino Monachello.
So it was with more than a little emotion in those sparkly Sicilian eyes that the 71- year- old locked- up his salon for the last time.
Gino’s has been a beacon of Ayr Main Street since the late 1960’ s.
We joined Gino and his wife Annette on Friday as the hairdryers finally stopped whirring.
He said: “My philosophy has always been if you work hard you can achieve what you want.
” I set out for Scotland as an adventurous 19- year- old and the adventure has not stopped.”
Gino opened on his own as a 22- year- old, three years earlier having caught the train from his home near Palermo to join the cosmopolitan L. LeClair salon at 28 Newmarket Street in August 1964.
Immediately after work he would put in a shift at Cafe Modern round the corner.
In the old days Gino literally worked day and night - he jumped into his ice cream van after seeing his last hair client.
He then bought a bigger chip van and would travel slowly around the villages such as Coylton and Mossblown so as not to spill the hot chip fat on his helper Julie, finally arriving home around 1am.
Annette, a former dental nurse, said: “He used to be so tired that customers would come to the top flat in the morning and chap him up as he was still sleeping.
“But our customers have always been great. Gino always hated any hair being left on the floor and some customers would even sweep it up for him when he was busy.”
The salon continued despite nearby factories shutting down and crucially the closing off of River and George Streets.
But asked if he had his time again arriving in Ayr would he have chosen a different path, he said “No.
“I love hairdressing. Even at school age seven or eight I would lather up mens’ beards for shaving in the local barber.”
During his time in the salon Gino battled a heart attack and then much later had a triple bypass.
Jessie McHardy has been served by Gino for 45 years and she was the last client to get the Gino coiffure.
She said: “It’s a sad day and we will not see his like again.
“I have enjoyed his great patter down the years and I have no complaints. ” He is going to be missed. The Monachellos often joked with customers that given Gino’s home town, they may have friends in the Sicilian mafia.
Annette, also 71, said: “We are very near the river here so if there were complaints we would always say we know where the cement boots are.”
Just then Gino’s mobile rang, the theme tune from “The Godfather” sounding from the back shop. Gino has seen the sad decline of Ayr commerce. But he said: “I love this town and it is my home. “Yes, it is sad to see the state of it now. ” But it will actually be a novelty for me to be out and around the town instead of working. ” It will be real freedom.” Annette revealed there was a worry about what his old customers would do when he leaves.
She said: “We had a 99- year- old saying we needed to wait till she was over 100 before he retired. “She’s still going strong aged 105. ” And others have been telling us he can’t retire or he will die!
“On our last day there was so much coffee and chat that one of our great friends and customers Sheena Andrew had to wait an hour and a half.”
The couple plan a longer trip back to Sicily to see Gino’s sister and family and to enjoy some wine.
* Gino’s is now up for rent after the family couldn’t find a “hair apparent” to take over the salon, call 07748 583612.