Hennessy Hair and Beauty: Forty and fabulous!

Hennessy Hair and Beauty was established in the early 1980s, amidst a boom of trends in the industry.

From big hair to leg warmers, and neon eyeshadow to bold blush, the 80s saw it all!

Yet while all these trends came and went, Hennessy Hair and Beauty have seen first-hand how some things will always stay in fashion — namely, good customer service.

The second-generation family-run business has been supplying excellence in Ireland's hair and beauty industry for the past four decades, taking pride in delivering top-quality brands alongside friendly and efficient service.

As the company prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary this month, Managing Director Susan McCarthy reflects on why she believes Hennessy Hair and Beauty has stood the test of time.

“It’s simple, we have exceptional customer service and this sets us apart from others,” she shares. “Customers love to know who they are dealing with and as a family business we offer that little bit extra.”

It was Susan’s parents, Kathleen and Paddy Hennessy, who first founded Hennessy Hair and Beauty all those years ago, after they spotted a gap in the market for a cash-and-carry service in Cork for hair and beauty products.

While the couple were initially running the service from their family home, supplying customers across Munster, the business has grown exponentially since. Today, Hennessy Hair and Beauty operates out of not just one, but two, stores in Cork, from their premises on Pembroke Street and in Doughcloyne.

With the massive boom in online shopping over the past decade, the business has moved with the times, operating a very successful website since 2010. However, having that physical presence in Cork remains of top importance.

“We would be foolish to ignore the growth in online shopping and services, but we cannot forget the customers who still want to walk into a physical shop and have the retail experience with our wonderful staff,” Susan explains.

“And, of course, we want to support our local and Irish economy. While Ireland is a relatively small country, we have a great culture of engaging and meeting in person, and we hope this continues in the years to come.”

It’s not just customers who love coming in to Hennessy Hair and Beauty for that personal touch either — for Susan, it’s a particular highlight of the job.

Getting out and meeting new customers face to face is something she still greatly enjoys, having been part of the company since she was just 16 years old.

Her husband, Brian, is the Sales Director of Hennessy Hair and Beauty. For him, similarly, hitting the road every day and seeing his customers is his favourite part of the role. Knowing that he has fulfilled their order to the best of his ability, he explains, gives him great job satisfaction.

In fact, job satisfaction is one of the key pillars of Hennessy Hair and Beauty — and one that has greatly helped them to achieve 40 years in business. Without the incredible staff they’ve been able to retain in that time, Susan says, the business’ success would not have been possible.

While both Paddy and his late wife Kathleen both can say they served the full forty years of Hennessy Hair and Beauty’s existence, Susan is not too far behind them with over 38 years’ service — nor is Brian, who has been with the company for over 30 years.

“After that, we have staff with 20 years plus service, so we must be doing something right to hold on to such a brilliant team,” Susan shares proudly.

“Today, we have a team of 27. It’s hard to believe that over 20 years ago there were just five staff! Without our loyal staff and customers, we would not be where we are today. That’s really why we want to go all out for our anniversary celebrations, as our way of saying thanks.”

Those celebrations are set to be very special indeed, with exciting events taking place in both the Pembroke St. and Doughcloyne locations of Hennessy Hair and Beauty on Monday, September 30th.

Open to both retail and trade customers, highlights to look forward to on the big day include a VAT free sale, goodie bags, giveaways, and even some incredible spin-the-wheel prizes in the Doughcloyne store!

“September 30th is going to be absolutely jam-packed…a day of celebrations, refreshments, giveaways and prizes,” Susan promises. “There’ll be fabulous opportunities on the day, so don’t miss out!”

As work and fun have always gone hand in hand at Hennessy Hair and Beauty, however, it’s little surprise that the team is already looking ahead to their next exciting challenge once all the celebrating is over.

Susan and Brian have big plans for the future of the business, as they carry on the legacy of the late Kathleen and recently-retired Paddy.

“There’s no doubt that we’ll hit 50 years in business, and will be celebrating that anniversary next,” Susan says.

“As a company we are going from strength to strength and are always looking ahead to see where the market is going and how we can adapt to be part of the growth. We constantly strive to be better and invest in our future.”

To find out more about Hennessy Hair and Beauty — and their 40th anniversary celebrations on September 30th — visit their website.