Limerick student shows ‘shear’ skill with barbershop in a truck

A TWENTY-YEAR-OLD barber is making waves along the Wild Atlantic Way, with his new mobile hairdressing business.

Killian Reidy, a second-year business student at University of Limerick (UL) has been cutting the hair of family and friends since he was 14 years of age.

After plying his trade over three-and-a-half years at the Market Barbershop in Newcastle West, the Foynes man has now gone into business alone.

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He purchased an exhibition trailer and has transformed it into a fully-fledged barbershop.

Four days a week, the business - called Wild Atlantic Way Barbershop - operates outside Reidy's Centra in Foynes, with the other day spent beside Navo Cafe in Fenit, Co Kerry.

At the same time, he is a full-time student, having just finished his first year’s bachelors in business at UL.

Killian said he had thought about opening a traditional bricks-and-mortar barbershop, but felt the truck would give him a competitive advantage.

“The mobile trailer setup allows me to bring a full barbershop experience to these unique community spots, serving convenience to locals and visitors alike - something that traditional barbershops lack,” he said.

“I wanted to do something different, and I hit on a mobile trailer.”

Last year, he bought that trailer from a security firm, and set about turning it into a salon.

Prior to the transformation, he compared the trailer to something you’d be more likely to see at the National Ploughing Championship.

Killian serves men of all ages, and children.

“I’d specialise in a wide range of cuts. From classic men’s cuts to all types of fades: skin fades, taper fade, or even a traditional scissor cut,” the businessman said.

Growing up, Killian says he had always had an interest in barbering.

“It always looked satisfying to me. Even now, I am cutting hair six years, but I tell my customers every day, that I really do enjoy the process of cutting hair, and getting that end result. Similar to an accountant balancing figures, I like seeing the end result,” he explained.

“I also like the chats! I meet a wide range of people and you can’t predict the conversations you’d have,” he smiles.
Killian also has his own line of hair products ranging from shampoos to gel, wax, matte clay and sea salt spray.

He has a number of regular clients. On top of that, he also gets a lot of passing trade, with people deciding to have a haircut on the spur of the moment.