Kibworth couple celebrates 25 years in business at their success story hairdressers

A Kibworth couple have proved they really are a cut above – after celebrating 25 years at their success story hairdressers.
Staff and family celebrate 25 years of business at the salon.Staff and family celebrate 25 years of business at the salon.
Staff and family celebrate 25 years of business at the salon.

It’s certainly not been a case of hair today gone tomorrow for Julie and Ian Clarke, who run Julian’s Hair Studio on the High Street.

And the thrilled husband-and-wife team are now targeting the next quarter of a century after forging a top-notch reputation in real style.

Ecstatic Ian, 51, said: “Bring on the next 25 years!

“We’ve had a fantastic time since we started out here in 1994 and we have such a lot still to look forward to.”

The dad-of-two admitted it hadn’t all been plain sailing since they opened for business at a book shop further along the High Street in the mid-90s.

“We have had to tackle a lot of challenges along the way.

“We’ve almost gone bankrupt once or twice and it’s been very hairy – to put it one way - at times,” said Ian, of Kibworth.

“But we’ve weathered the storms and we are very proud that we are still here standing after more than two decades.

“We run a very friendly place, our girls here all get along famously and it’s a lovely atmosphere.”

Julie, 46, said: “We threw a party for staff and customers to mark turning 25 and over 50 people turned up for drinks and nibbles.

“We’ve built up a solid loyal client list of about 700 people, both men and women, over the years.

“We launched when we were both still at home living with our parents and got married two years later in 1996.

“We’re still married and our salon’s still going strong so we must be doing something right!”

Julie said they still have diehard fans pop in from as far away as Norfolk and Winchester, Hants.

“It’s incredible but they still come back every few weeks even though they live at least a four-hour round trip away,” she said.

“There are 17 of us here altogether – and we are just one big family.

“We try to go the extra mile for the people who are our very lifeblood.

“We even have three stylists visit Kibworth Knoll care home every Thursday morning to see ladies who can’t get out.”

Julie said their oldest daughter Natalie, 21, is a hairdresser there while Amy, 18, helps out when not at university.

Last word to hubby Ian who smiled: “Looking ahead we’d love Natalie to take this over at some point.

“And I can see myself working here till I’m well past 70 because every day’s a good day!”