The article explores a nostalgic memory of local hairdressers in the rapidly expanding suburban areas of Dublin during the late 1970s and 80s. The author reflects on how these small businesses became essential parts of the community, offering not just services but intimate connections among residents. The transformation of Dublin through suburban growth made establishments like hairdressers comparable in importance to other local institutions. Despite uncertainty about specific childhood memories, the essence of these local hubs remains significant in the author's reflection on community life.
One of my earliest memories is sitting on the bonnet of a Silver Cross pram, my baby brother asleep inside, while Mam pushed us to the local hairdresser.
Around that time, I became obsessed with our local hairdressers. This tiny universe of transformation sandwiched between the newsagents and chemist of the local L-shaped shopping complex.
As Dublin sprawled during rapid suburban expansion in the 1970s, independent hairdressers became essential to communities, just like local shops and parish churches.
The local hairdresser holds a particular kind of intimacy that is hard to capture anywhere else, forming connections amidst the changes of suburban life.
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