Betty Cabral, owner of the salon and a lifelong resident of Westport, said many of her dedicated clients have been coming for years, bringing along their children, and now even their grandchildren.
On Oct. 20, 1969 Betty and her husband Joe Cabral, both teachers, opened the salon as a franchise, which was called Edie Adams Cut & Curl, named after the popular actress and entertainer. At the time, their opening special was a 79 cent haircut, and 10 stylists worked the waiting crowds, with a three-person relief team in the back room. Ads from the early days, highlighted on a posterboard kept on display in the salon, boast shampoo sets for $2.75. An original cash register, minus its bulky top, still sits on the same desk installed in 1969 when the salon opened, and remains in use by Betty, who said she has no real use for a computerized cash register.
"I have taught all kinds of business courses, including accounting and bookkeeping, and I do not use a computerized cash register. "Although," she says with a glint in her eye, "I am thinking of getting a laptop."
The Cabrals bought the franchise in 1969 because they thought there was a niche in town for a budget conscious salon. "We thought it met a need for the average person. Families came to us then and still do today," said Betty. "We operated a Sugar and Spice Nook, where kids and teens got their haircuts, and many of those kids' pictures are still featured around the shop."
The purchase of the franchise changed Joe and Betty Cabral's lives. At first they thought they could remain teachers, operating the business with a manager, but soon they realized they needed to spend more hands-on time with their small business. Joe managed and Betty came in to help, juggling her time with work and a family of two kids, Susan and Kevin, who grew up helping out at the shop. Ten years after the business was started, in 1979, the Cabrals stopped operating their business as a franchise and renamed their independent salon, The Hair Place.
In 1983 Joe Cabral was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and he died just 10 months later. Almost immediately thereafter, Betty's mother died, and Betty stepped in, managing the place full time. "Along with my kids, this became my family," she said.
Looking back on her long history, Betty says the best thing about her 40-year business was and still is the people. "We watched the children of our customers grow up and bring in their own children. We have relationships with so many of our clients."
Recently, one client, Loretta Olsen, celebrated her 107th birthday at the salon, blowing out candles on a big cake right next to her daughter, Muriel Durner. Both women, residents of Westport, have been regulars at the salon for years.
The Hair Place has had its share of Westport celebrity. Paul Newman and Martha Kostyra, Martha Stewart's mother, were both customers. The actor Charles Grodin still is.
But there are lots of regular folk, both young and old. "We hear a lot of stories here. Stylists are like psychiatrists. We know the good things and bad problems of our customers. We are close to many of them."
Cabral said she is looking forward to many more years of service. She is excited about the new anchor tenant, Fresh Market, and pleased at the increase in traffic that the tenant will create as well as the beautiful new look of the shopping center.