Hair by Mona Lisa has moved to Linenhall Street
By Tom Gillespie
ROMANIA native Mona Lisa Munteanu (38) came to Ireland with her parents just before her 18th birthday.
However, failing to get employment in Claremorris, the family moved to Castlebar, where Mona Lisa now runs the highly successful Hair by Mona Lisa salon at Linenhall Street from where she has just moved from Spencer Street.
Mona Lisa told me: "I left Romania two months before my 18th birthday. My mum married an Irish man and we all moved to Ireland.
"I started hairdressing in Maura Kelly’s in Castle Street and then I went to FÁS and I have been training everywhere, England, Dublin, Galway and Sligo. No course was too small and no course was too big for me.
"When I was 24 I decided to open up on my own. I was in Lucan Street for six years. Then I had a baby girl and decided to work part-time while rearing her until she was four years of age when I decided to open up in a small place on Cavendish Lane.
"I was at the back of a beauty salon with two little chairs and a sink and you could just about swing a cat in it.
"Nine months after that the business was thriving. I was looking around for a larger place and I saw this place on Linenhall Street but I was afraid to take a chance on it.
"So I moved up to Spencer Street. The place was smaller than here (Linenhall Street) and it was just the place for me for the moment.
"I was three years there and business went from strength to strength. However, the week before Covid lockdown I made the decision to move to Linenhall Street and I gave a deposit to the landlord.
"I just took the bull by the horns and I said we were going ahead, what will be, will be.
“Myself and my boyfriend worked really hard in getting the place ready and landlord Seamus O’Malley was so amazing in helping us out. We got the place ready in just three weeks. We were told we could open at short notice."
The move meant she could take on an extra staff member, bringing the staff complement to three full-time and another one nearly full-time.
Mona Lisa continued: "We are in the process of applying for a website grant and I am hoping to start retailing products online which would generate more hours for some of the staff in quieter times.
"I would like to train youngsters to love hairdressing as much as I do. I have a passion for it and if they work hard like I did anything can happen.
"I came from nothing and with hard work you can do anything you want.
“But you have to get up in the morning, go to work, work hard and stop complaining."
Mona Lisa expressed a massive thank you to all her loyal customers, adding: "I have been in business for 10 years and without them I would not be where I am today."
Hair by Mona Lisa is located at Linenhall Street, Castlebar, and their opening hours are 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Closed on Monday. They can be contacted on (087) 0554801.