Alison Wylie is passing hairdressing salon Ribbons and Curls on to Sally Simmons

She is leaving her hairdressing business after almost two decades to move to Perth and open a hardware tools store with her husband Craig. 

Mrs Wylie took over hairdressing salon Ribbons and Curls on Mate Street in the mid-90s and remembers donning a platinum blonde hairstyle from the 80s. 

Now, 19 years later, she has a smoothly straightened cut and a new vision for her future. 

“I think it’s going to be a real adventure,” Mrs Wylie said.

She said there had been a number of changes to her trade over the past two decades and laughed when she thought about the past. 

“When I first came here clients were smoking and I remember ash trays everywhere,” she said.

Mrs Wylie then put a ban on smoking in her salon.

“I think I lost a couple of clients over it,” she laughed. 

Since then, Mrs Wylie has moved locations and renovated the salon twice. 

The hairdresser believed her greatest achievement was keeping the business thriving for so many years.

“A solicitor told me most small businesses close after 12 months,” she said.

“So the fact we are still here after 19 years is amazing.”

Mrs Wylie put her success down to hard work – something she picked up while doing her training at Patt’s Beauty Salon.

She said when she moved on she would mostly miss her clients.

“I had somebody ask me the other day how long we had been together,” Mrs Wylie said.

“It was like we were in a relationship or something.

“But it’s true – I’ve made so many friendships and people just come in and make themselves a coffee.

“People aren’t worried that we don’t have things like vibrating chairs because it’s such a relaxed atmosphere.” 

Mrs Wylie said she had been there for the best and the worst of times for clients.

“I’ve done hair for ladies who have lost their husbands and for others on their wedding days,” she said

Mrs Wylie is leaving Ribbons and Curls in the hands of Border hairdresser Sally Simmons. 

For the past three years she has been styling hair from her garage at her home. 

“I had a girl working for me when I had a baby and now I’m back at work we have run out of room in the garage,” she said.

“We thought we’d go a bit bigger – but I have some big shoes to fill.”

Ms Simmons plans to keep Ribbon and Curls as it is with the “same friendly smiles”.

“I would like to try and keep it the same because Alison has done a great job,” she said.

Mrs Wylie has more than 200 clients and she said she wanted to invite them all to farewell her at the Mate Street salon on August 21 from 5pm.