LIFESTYLE CHOICE

Welcome to the new era of Dylan Bradshaw – no longer just a hair salon, his renovated Dublin space is a lifestyle store for the modern consumer

Salon photography by Donal Murphy Photography

Seating pods For those wanting to work or enjoy a coffee

Lifestyle retail Yes you can buy shampoo, but you can pick up so much more with the curated retail selection

The idea for the refresh of the iconic Dylan Bradshaw salon in Dublin had started gestating before Covid. It had been a decade since the last refit, and Dylan and wife and business partner Charlotte were keen on a change. Then the lockdowns hit. “It makes you have a serious rethink about what you want to do, where you want to be,” he recalls.

With a reputation for high-end service and luxury experience, would the new era of Dylan Bradshaw see him pare back as the cost of living crisis hit? “We’ve doubled down,” he laughs. “The consumer has changed, and the industry has changed. I’m not really a person who tends to follow trends, I listen to clients. We’re a high-end brand, and our business comes from all over the country. In a world where everybody’s trying to simplify and dumb things down, and I want to give more of a luxury experience. We went from a salon to a store; we’re a lifestyle space now.”

About 18 months ago, the salon increased prices by 25 per cent across the board, giving clients six months’ notice. The cost of running a business had increased, and he had to act accordingly. The business also heavily invests in upskilling staff to ensure that elevated salon experience. “Our job is to take care of people, we’re professionals giving the very best service. At the same time, we can’t be stupid, we must charge accordingly. If you treat it like a serious business, people will take your business seriously.”

And serious he is, as the careful thought behind the new look business attests. The front of the late eighteenth-century Dublin townhouse – originally occupied by the salon’s front desk – is now a speciality tea and coffee shop called ku.fee. Dylan spent a year tasting coffee roasts to find the perfect choice, has a €12,000 bespoke La Marzocco Linea PB S ABR espresso machine and even completed a barista course with the manager. While it’s a new business for Dylan to reach fresh customers, ku.fee baristas are also on hand to brew the perfect complementary beverage for salon clients as part of their service.

Once inside the store, you’ll discover a carefully curated collection of lovely things in home, hair, beauty and personal care. It’s a shopper’s paradise. And he’s pairing up with Dublin-based barber brand Faction, which will take the top floor of the building. There’s also a space that can be rented for shoots or events, used recently by Hair by Sam McKnight for its Irish launch.

Dylan Bradshaw

ku.fee The speciality tea and coffee shop called with its bespoke La Marzocco Linea PB S ABR espresso machine

Renovated backwashes The iconic Gamma & Bross Teknowash Plus units

Within the hair salon, Dylan hasn’t taken the easy path, opting to reuse and repurpose as much as possible with a firm eye on sustainability. He points to his Gamma & Bross Teknowash Plus units as an example, all stripped, rebuilt and reconditioned with new motors. “It’s not saving money, it would be cheaper and easier to buy new stuff. We have a huge focus on our waste,” he admits. “I want to do better, I want to move in a different direction.”

He’s also ensured with the renovation that the team had a proper space to relax in between clients, rather than a staff room the size of a broom cupboard. “They work hard on their four days, but then they get three days off, and then they come back into the salon focused and ready to work their socks for the business. It’s very important that we have a team that’s happy to work within the space.”

In the middle of the salon, you’ll find six pods where clients can sit and plug in with their laptop and have a coffee (perhaps while their colour develops). The space also feels much bigger, thanks to the clever lighting and more soothing material choices (repurposed Connemara marble, pure oak wood, and terrazzo floors). The reception desk is a long and spacious island, akin to a luxury kitchen to avoid any kind of divide between front of house and guests. It’s all part of the brand becoming more closely knit to its neighbourhood. Has the introduction of the coffee shop confused clients? “There’s a lot of head scratching when people come to the door, they’re not sure. ‘I’m going into a cafe?’,” he laughs. “And I like that, because that means we’re shaking things up.” And that door is open for lots more opportunities to defy expectations…