IT'S the end of an era on the Falls Road as Isobells Hair Studio has closed its doors for the last time. After 40 years working in the community, head hairdresser Isobell McNally announced her retirement and has closed the doors to her much-loved studio.
Over the years Isobells' business has become much more than a hair studio and more a place for familiar faces to meet and catch up on the latest news. When we visited the hairdressers just days before the closed sign went up, loyal patrons were smiling and laughing over the buzz of the hair-dryers.
"It was a brilliant place for people to meet," said Isobell. "This is like a community centre.
“Here on a Saturday, there would be eight or nine customers all talking about what happened that week. They would bring in food and make it up and people would say, ‘Is there nothing to eat today?’ and I’d say, ‘It’s not a bloody cafe!’”
Isobell’s impact on the community is clear to see from the reaction of not just her regular customers but from local people who have never walked into her studio before. While laughing, Isobell recalls when a young man stopped her in a shop and asked, 'You’re closing? Don’t you know you’re part of our community and you’re leaving us? What’s my ma going to do?”
Isobell talked about how the community has helped her in the past, saying: "If I wanted anything, I would only go down the stairs and walk into the bar and say, 'Is there a plumber or a joiner here?' The whole community is like that. We all help each other. They’re all very, very good people."
Speaking about the “end of an era”, Dermot Kennedy, owner of local hair and beauty wholesaler Salon Supplies, said: "The clients are all breaking their hearts because for 40 years they’ve all been loyal. They come all the way from Newry. She stayed open during the hard times and the bad times.”
Isobell has also helped train plenty of other hairdressers over the years, some of whom have opened their own hairdressers.
"The girls have been with me for 34 years and they have been absolutely fabulous. They’re like sisters. I’ve trained dozens and dozens and I think about 15 of them have opened their own businesses and they all say ‘formerly of Isobell’s’. I’ve had brilliant people and brilliant staff. I’ve been very lucky."
When asked if she had any plans for her future retirement, Isobell said: “I honestly don’t know. I don’t feel as if I’m ready to give up work… I love coming into work and I love training kids.
"It’s been good and it’s very sad for me to leave but my back’s sore and I can’t do it any more."
