John has gone back to his roots on Castle Street
WHEN John Kelly’s grandfather, Thomas Kelly, opened a barber shop in Castlebar 87 years ago little did he realise he was starting something that is now in its fourth generation, writes Tom Gillespie.
That was in November 1932 and today Kelly’s Barber Shop is celebrating the achievement with the late Thomas Kelly’s grandson, John, and granddaughter, Moire, maintaining a proud family tradition on Castle Street.
John’s son, Conrad, and Moire’s daughter, Amy, and son, Cian, are continuing the proud Kelly dynasty.
When the business first opened it was at the top of Castle Street but later moved two doors down.
But, as the business expanded, John is back in the original premises on the top of Castle Street, where his grandfather first started.
The original Kelly business now consists of two barber/hairdressing shops over two floors, all of which are fully air-conditioned, where customers can relax watching television while being pampered by the Kelly team and their talented staff.
John took over the barber shop when his father, Sean, retired from the business in 1999 after 51 years in the trade.
The newest shop - Kelly’s Fine Gentlemen’s Grooming - is booming and last year was named All-Ireland Barbers of the Year in the Irish Beauty Industry Awards.
John Kelly completed his education at St. Gerald’s College, Castlebar, in 1985 and went on to study the trade in Sligo the following year.
He told me: "Before that I was here helping out, where my dad would be training me. Moire was here before me and she was doing the ladies side. I wanted to try the ladies end of it as well.
"I went to Sligo training under Larry Hingerton from Westport and from there I was posted into a few places for training.
"When I came back I got placements in a few places in Dublin. I was doing ladies hair for a while.
"We had the barber shop going here and before I knew it I started building up a client base. It was getting busier and busier and I decided to stick with the lads. The craic used to be great. I loved doing the ladies hair but it evolved.
"Dad was thinking of taking it a bit easier and I just went into barbering full time.
"The business started getting busier and it went from myself and dad then to where we now have eight full-time employees."
John opened Kelly's Fine Gentleman’s Grooming in September 2017 and that year they were named as regional Barbers of the Year.
Said John: "T.J. Coleman had this place and he had a few clients. I was busy in the other shop where customers were asking was there any chance of getting an appointment.
"I knew if I went down that avenue I would have to split the business to a walk-in and a separate one for appointments.
"It would be unfair for customers coming in and hopping into the chair ahead of customers who had been queuing for ages."
John agreed to open the new shop and he got Colin Ruane to design the new premises.
"I knew exactly what I wanted," John confesses. "I wanted an old American 1920s style barber’s shop. Getting the place right was important so we gutted the place and we took absolutely everything out and then we had a shell to work on.
"I just took it in to see how it would go. I put a big investment into it and I am happy the way it is going.
"I find the booking online system absolutely brilliant. We are open Wednesday to Saturday in the new shop. But if a booking comes in outside of that there is no issue. We are here to accommodate our customers.
"The way the modern man is gone, he wants to come in and get out as fast as possible, no hanging around. The customer is the most important that comes in the door."
Kelly’s Hair and Beauty Salon can be contacted on (094) 9022973 and the Barber Shop can be contacted on (094) 9044044 and the Fine Gentleman’s Grooming on (094) 9028661.